


Drowning in Your Depths

by AngstMom



Series: Dying Dreams [1]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Angst, BAMF Bill, BAMF Dipper, Betrayal, Bill contemplates his attraction towards fish, Bill is in love with a fish boi, Dipper crying, Dipper is a guppy, Elentori Dreams, Ford can be an ass, Hurt, I'm basically bsing everything, M/M, Mentions of Death, Mother Waters, Pirate Captain Bill, Prophecies, Secrets, Semi Slow Burn, Siren Dipper, Smol DipDop, That's a tag now, Torture, Trans Characters, coat abuse, he cries a lot actually, it has been confirmed, it wasn't supposed to turn out like this, kraken - Freeform, like hella lots, lots of magic, magical monsters, minor depictions of broken bones, neck biting, ship abuse, strong sibling relationships, supportive/unsupportive pines, who is Bill really, you'll know when it happens, you're really going to hurt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-16
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-04-26 14:37:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 24
Words: 96,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5008528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngstMom/pseuds/AngstMom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fate is cruel and Karma is quick. What will become of Bill Cipher as his crew leaves him aboard his quick sinking ship? Perhaps destiny will step in with a new proposition.</p>
<p>Beta'd by AtlanteanLeviathan</p>
<p>Updates occur every Friday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mutiny

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elentori](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=elentori), [Taurine (Elentori)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elentori/gifts).



To say Bill had bad luck would be a gruesome understatement. It would be like declaring that a dip in the ocean would make you just a bit damp. Bill Cipher was the scourge of the sea and everyone knew it. He supposed that karma would catch up to him eventually, he was just surprised it had been so soon. As fate would have it no other way it was his crew that decided to turn on him. Perhaps not his whole crew, but one dividual in particular. His first mate and inconsequentially a man with a penchant for power. The little twat was also a backstabbing midget as it turned out. Bill figured he had it coming, he’d gotten cocky and therefore clumsy. Letting his guard down just enough to be overthrown through mutiny. The little snake had a charming enough tongue to convince a good portion of his crew to turn on him. The rest of them followed in fear of death.

This left Bill tied to the mast of his own ship in the crow’s nest. Ironic to everyone but Bill, to him it was just idiotic. The weasel had been planning his betrayal for a while, if the large cannon loaded ship currently blasting his own to oblivion was any indication. If Bill wasn’t gagged he’d have yelled obscenities at his traitorous crew. He’d hand picked the lot of them, taken them in and made sure they had a chance at fortune and fame. Perhaps he’d taught them too well. He’d always said never to turn your back and to strike when your target was least aware. If only he could follow his own advice.

The water was slowly rising to meet him, Bill wished it would just hurry up. He hated this. Out of all the ways he could die it had to be the way that unnerved him the most. Ever since he was young growing up on the cusps of the ocean, Bill was afraid of drowning. Odd as it seemed to everyone who ever came to discover this, but it was true. The father he’d never known was lost to the waters. His mother since then had always warned him of the ocean. She too was lost to a storm the following year. Bill had only been a child of seven at the time.

Loud plops indicated the loss of air in the ship as it began sinking faster into the ocean. The weight of the water pulling it beneath the surface. Bill took one final gulp of air before the water closed in over his head. Cold and biting the water rocked around the pirate. Air bubbles rose passed him as it continued to sink. Gritting his teeth he pleaded to whatever deity that might be listening to send something to either save him or end him fast and mercifully.

His chest began to ache, his body screaming for a breath. He figured he may as well just swallow water. A sailor had once told him that drowning was a cruel demise, worse than hanging. With hanging, you could break your neck. If the gallows were kind enough they would weigh the convicted down with bricks. Drowning, however, could not be sped up. It all depended on how long one could hold their breath. Whether the person passed out from the lack of oxygen, or their lungs filled with fluid in their final waking moments.

Something cold caressed the cheek of the former pirate captain. His eyes shot open, stinging in the salty waters. The sight that met his eyes would have taken his breath away, if he had any. The glow emanating from the being before him lit up the waters around him. Pulling away from the pirate the figure gave him a curious look. Bubbles continued to rise passed them to the surface. Bill’s head pounded, his vision blurring.

A blurred hand reached to him and removed the gag. Bill opened his mouth in a mock scream, mentally begging for this creature to kill him. He was too far from the surface to survive now. He was going to die, that was certain, but he wanted to die by the hand of an angel of the ocean. The light moved as the creature grew closer. Bill felt his binds slacken and float away from him, the mast of the ship sinking faster than him. He screwed his eyes shut, if he could cry under water he would be. His tears mixing with the cruel ocean.

Cold hands gripped his face encouraging his eyes to open again. His vision was no longer in focus, blurred and growing dark. The light in his vision increased as the creature appeared to inspect him. Soft cold flesh pressed against his lips. It took his oxygen depraved mind a moment to process what was happening. This vision of the sea was granting him a final gift. The hands holding his face fell to the pirate’s shoulders. Bill moved his hands to the figure’s hips.

He didn’t know who broke away first, but he felt the siren—surely that’s what this angel was—move their head as if to rest it at the crook of Bill’s neck. Instead he heard an intake of water, as one would take a breath.

“Breathe. You will not die if you breathe,” the voice of this creature was evidently male. Light and smooth.

Bill did as he was told, why wouldn’t he when this man’s voice was so kind and gentle? Blinking and breathing were easier this time around, the ache in Bill’s chest dissipated as his vision cleared. Chocolate brown eyes met his own pale blues. The siren’s cold hands drifted into the pirate’s hair as his eyes studied Bill’s face.

“I’ve never met a human. Are you all so pretty?” he asked in a light tone.

Bill let out a short laugh, pretty? “Is this an attempt at flattery? I’m pretty sure you already hold my fate in your hands.” Bill was surprised he was able to understand what was being said underwater, let alone respond in kind.

The siren chuckled, it sounded like seashell windchimes he and his mother used to make. Bill shivered. The siren’s wandering eyes jumped back up to Bill’s. Their eyes were alight with intrigue.

“You’re cold?” he asked.

“Yes, the water is very cold,” Bill answered.

“But you’re warm,” the siren stated.

“All the more reason to feel cold.”

“I see… We’ll need to fix that,” the siren nodded.

Before Bill could ask what he meant the siren flipped around and circled the pirate once before grabbing him by his arm and flicking his tail. Water rushed around them as they picked up speed. The siren’s undulating tail directing them in a downward angle. Bill used his free arm to reach over and hold onto the siren’s hands that gripped his arm. The light from the surface dimmed further, leaving the siren’s bi-luminescent figure to light the way.


	2. Reason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did you know that the fasted way to get warm is to shed layers of clothing and cuddle with another naked person? Bill doesn't get naked or anything, but hey, it's the thought that counts.

The water grew colder the deeper they descended. The water pressure increased and Bill could feel the weight of it in his bones. The siren glanced back at him with a nervous expression. The hands on his arm tightened their grip.

“Just a bit longer. I’m sorry it’s so cold, I promise it’ll be warmer soon,” the siren spoke in a higher pitch.

“A-are you sure you’re n-not trying to f-freeze me, Angel Fish?” Bill asked, the cold causing him to stutter.

“Angel fish?” the siren questioned. “No, I don’t want to freeze you.”

“C-could’ve fooled me, heh,” Bill replied. “And I’d appreciate a name, if you have one.”

The siren puffed up his cheeks, “Of course I have a name, I was just worried that you didn’t have one so I didn’t breach the subject,” the man huffed indignantly.

“Well, rest assured little guppie, my name is Captain Bill Cipher.” Bill addressed, managing to say so without stuttering.

“Captain?” the siren sniggered, “Who did you piss off as a captain to the point where you sunk with your ship?”

“I’ll have you know that I am the most feared captain atop the seas!” Bill replied with a huff.

“Okay, okay, Captain,” the man’s snickering subsided. “My name is Dipper Pines.”

“Really? Pines? You’ve probably never even seen a pine tree.” Bill stated, still miffed over the siren’s jabs at his ego.

“What’s a pine tree?” Dipper asked.

“You are,” Bill stated with a smirk.

“No I’m not! You said pine was a type of tree! Clearly I am not a tree.”

“True, but now it’s your nickname.”

“Dipper is a nickname!”

“For what?”

“...” Dipper didn’t meet Bill’s eyes.

“It can’t be that bad, come on. It beats being called a tree,” Bill prodded.

“How about I let you float here as the water pressure slowly crushes you?” Dipper ground out.

“Okay, okay, I didn’t mean to pry I was just curious!” Bill defended himself.

Dipper sighed as his pace slowed. “Sorry, I just really don’t like my name. It’s a bit of a sore subject.”

“I can tell,” Bill cut in but stopped with a dark look from Dipper.

“We’re almost there,” Dipper stated.

Bill heard it before he saw it, the distinct hissing and bubbling sounds rising up. The magma causing the ash to mix with the water seemed beautiful, in a way. He could feel the water begin to grow warmer. Looking over to Dipper he saw a smug smile stretched across the siren’s face. Bill nudged him with an elbow and Dipper brought them closer. Trying to forget the increasing pressure, Bill focused on the growing heat. Dipper brought him close but stayed far enough away so that it wasn’t overwhelming.

The siren sighed and Bill could feel him go lax. Bill’s muscles lost tension as he began to warm alongside the siren. Dipper let go of Bill’s arm and drifted towards the thermal vents. Bill watched as he weaved around the various vents, avoiding the rising ash. He came back to Bill after a while and circled the pirate, brushing up against him. The siren’s once cold skin had absorbed the warmth and he was now exuding it, letting Bill have the warmth. He stopped at Bill’s side, letting his tail remain half curled around the human.

Resting his head on Bill’s shoulder, Dipper let out a deep sigh. He reached up and gripped the man’s arm again, continuing to release the heat he had acquired. Bill shuddered. Dipper lifted his head to give Bill a curious look.

“Still cold? I can grab some more heat,” Dipper spoke softly, his voice heavy and tired.

“No tha-” Bill’s voice wavered and he cleared his throat. “I’m fine, I just didn’t know what you were doing at first.”

“You mean humans don’t share warmth?” Dipper asked. “That’s so strange, how do you survive?”

“We manage, I guess.” Bill replied, voice falling quiet. “I’ve never really seen the values of cuddling.”

“Oh.” Dipper’s voice was filled with pity. “My kind need physical contact, it keeps us grounded.”

“So…” Bill started with a grin. “You’re a cuddle fish?”

“You!” Dipper started, his cheeks puffing up. “I’ll have you know that I am among some of the most intelligent and magically inclined beings. Sirens are probably increasingly superior to every oceanic and land creature!”

Bill laughed and patted Dipper’s cheek. “Oh my stars, you’re positively adorable Pine Tree! Have you even ever been to the surface?” Bill ended in a question, his laughter dying down.

Dipper pouted and avoided eye contact. “No, but I’ve heard a lot about it,” he tried to counter.

“From who? A fish professor?” Bill snickered.

“No! Well, sort of, he’s family and he used to travel and he kept a record of all of his findings and experiences.” Dipper defended.

“Ah, so then sirens are loaners?” Bill stated it as a question.

“Wrong,” Dipper shook his head. “We live together as a society, it makes hunting easier.”

“Society? Then what were you doing all the way out here?” Bill questioned.

“Nuh uh, it’s my turn to ask you questions. That’s one of the main reasons I saved you,” Dipper flicked his tail to further his statement.

“What were the other reasons?” the pirate asked with a smirk, holding up his other arm in defeat as the siren sent him a dark glare.

“Here’s a question, who did you piss off to get tied to a sinking ship?” Dipper asked incredulously.

“You assume I did something to warrant my demise?” Bill asked in a mocking tone.

“You admitted to being a pirate captain,” Dipper stated. “In fact I believe you said you were ‘the most feared captain atop the seas.’” the siren smirked.

“Well aren’t you just precious,” Bill huffed. “My crew committed mutiny.”

“Mutiny?” Dipper asked.

“Yes, you know the term for when those you trusted turn around and stab you in the back?”

“I know what mutiny is, but what I want to know is why your crew did it.”

“Because of an impudent snake I thought was a good first mate,” Bill ground out.

“You made a snake your first mate?” Dipper asked sounding appalled.

“Not literally,” Bill sighed. “The sniveling little turd’s name is Gideon Gleeful. With a silver tongue and that persistent attitude, I thought he’d be beneficial to me.”

“He wasn’t?” Dipper asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

“No, he was a great first mate. We succeeded well together and attained many riches and powers, but the brat was greedy. More so than I had originally thought. He convinced a good portion of my crew that he would be the better leader and lead them to greater heights so long as they were loyal only to him. The rest of my crew followed in hopes to be spared the git’s wrath. In hindsight I really should have seen it coming. My crew abandoned ship, hopping on to the little worm’s boat after tieing me to the mast of my own ship. The topping feature to this whole ordeal would have to be his command to blow my ship into pieces. He left no room for error, just like I taught him. Gods I am such a fool,” Bill spoke in various levels of spite and despair.

“Wow… That’s awful. Are you planning on getting revenge?” Dipper asked.

“How can I possibly get revenge without a crew, let alone a ship?” Bill huffed.

“I can help with the ship,” Dipper said, puffing up his chest.

“Really? What could a lone siren like you do for a crewless, shipless captain like me?” Bill asked with minor intrigue.

“I have magic, with some work and a little time I can fix your ship,” Dipper spoke with conviction.

Bill glanced at the man’s face and sighed, “And what about my crew? I doubt even a sirens can magic up a willing group of sad sods to man a ship.”

“We’ll just have to work on that, now won’t we?” Dipper stated.

“I suppose we will…” Bill started. “Where to now?”

“Well, we should probably get back to your ship. I need to see what kind of damage it’s sustained so I can estimate how much work it will require to fix it,” Dipper stated simply.

“How do you plan on fixing a ship that is sitting at the bottom of the sea and filled with holes?” Bill inquired skeptically.

Dipper shrugged nonchalantly. “Magic ranging from the spoken word to objects and perhaps patchwork. Perhaps a deal or two depending on the kind of wood your ship is made of.”

“Deal?” the pirate asked.

“Some magic requires different sources of energy, a few also suggest having strong ties to certain objects. That leaves another question, how deeply do you care for your ship?” Dipper spoke with a calculating tone.

“She’s my ship, my only companion since I began sailing. If there’s a chance to redeem her and let her rise from these waters to sail again then I will do whatever it takes,” Bill spoke firmly.

Dipper’s face split in a large smile, his razor white teeth glinting in the light, “Then we’ll have no trouble.”

The siren let go of Bill, and wove around the vents again, sending Bill smiles whenever he faced the pirate. He swam back over to the captain and repeated his earlier processes. A pleasant feeling rolled down Bill’s spine making him shiver. Dipper gripped the man’s arm again and turned them back in the direction they came. With a flick of his tail they were off again, the water not as cold as it had been previously. The pressure slowly began to decrease around them as they swam in an upwards slant. Bill figured that the universe had decided to give him one more try, or it was finally Gideon’s day of reckoning. Either way, he was glad Dipper found him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHA  
> Updating on time for ONCE in my life...  
> Enjoy it, I don't know how long i can keep it up. >=>;
> 
> Also! My lovely beta reader ==> http://archiveofourown.org/users/AtlanteanLeviathan  
> Please adore them, they are incredible!  
> they made an 8tracks for this fic too! ==> http://8tracks.com/kaijublood/mutiny-and-mercy


	3. Mens Scapus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plan is underway, what's up with Dipper's family?

The ship, much to Bill’s dismay, was in ruins. Her once perfectly sculpted hull was in splinters, leaving a gaping hole. The rigging was knotted, the ropes swelled with water. The foremast was split through and looked pathetic. The sails rippled in the water current, large holes torn bigger by the unforgiving sea. Her bowsprit was broken clean off, leaving another dent in her once beautiful image.

Dipper made a tsking sound and pulled Bill away from the hull of the ship. The keel was dented and splintering opening up into the bilge. The damage made Bill want to strike out, Gideon would definitely pay for what he’d done not only to Bill, but to his beloved ship. Dipper brought them close enough to the ship that Bill reached out and pressed his hand to her wood.

She groaned and shifted, as if she could feel the pain from the damage that had been inflicted on her. A pale hand pressed against her as well and Bill looked over to Dipper. The siren’s face was unreadable, his eyebrows pinched and eyes searching. His flush lips were pulled into a thin line, his cheeks puffed slightly. He blinked and faced Bill, his face becoming readable with despair and anger.

“How anyone can do this kind of damage to such a beautiful ship is beyond me. She has a magic of her own,” Dipper’s words were quiet, almost reverent as he held his hand to the ship.

“Aye, that little eel will suffer a terrible fate when I find him,” Bill growled.

“Alright, there are several things she is going to need,” Dipper began. “I’ll need to grab some things from my colony…” Dipper trailed off, his face falling into a solemn expression.

“You don’t look too pleased about that,” Bill stated. “Do you not like someone back there?”

“No, no, everyone in Gravity Falls is great, kind, caring, and far too overprotective; they would totally kill me if they knew I’d gone this far away from home and rescued a human,” Dipper’s face slipped into an unpleasant grimace.

Bill chuckled. “Let me guess, it’s too hard to breath in your stuffy little pod of sirens and yet they give you no room?” The pirate asked.

“It wouldn’t be half as bad if they didn’t constantly question everything I do!” Dipper whined. “Literally, if I leave my home they all immediately get nervous and shifty. It’s as if they’re afraid I’ll just poof out of existence, at this point I’d almost prefer it.”

“So…” Bill began, “How do you plan on getting in there and then getting out?”

“Well, I can probably get my hatch mate to cover for me, but that would require an elaborate story so she wouldn’t be interested. That is difficult all on its own, she’s interested in everything,” Dipper began swimming in circles around Bill, his arms folded over his chest. “Then there’s my Grunkle who probably won’t let me leave the nest for a month—if I’m lucky. Oh cod, why is everyone so overbearing?” the siren ground his palms into his eyes thumping his head against Bill’s chest.

“Know any cloaking spells?” Bill asked.

“No, my great uncle won’t teach me, probably so i don’t use them…” Dipper stated, letting his hands drop. His head then shot up as he looked at Bill. “Do you know any cloaking spells?”

A laugh erupted from Bill at the sight of Dipper’s hopeful look. “Y-yes, I know quite a few.”

“Incredible. I didn’t know humans had the capability for producing magic,” Dipper spoke, his voice filled with wonder.

“Well, you’ve never asked a human. You’re forgiven for your lack of knowledge, this time anyway,” Bill said, filled with pride.

“Oh hush you. How is the spell done?” the siren inquired, his hands clutching the front  of Bill’s shirt.

“Which one?” he asked the siren.

“The most effective with the least amount of energy required,” Dipper responded.

Bill chuckled lightly, resting his hands over Dipper’s. “I trust you know how to pull magic in from around you?” He asked.

“Of course I do, I’m no ameture,” Dipper mumbled.

“Okay, then repeat after me. Eamus in mundi,” Bill began.

“Eamus in mundi,” Dipper repeated perfectly.

“inter invisibilem,” Bill finished.

“inter invisibilem,”

The two spoke together one more time in unison, the pirate’s eyes taking on a light blue hue as the siren’s luminescence grew slightly brighter, his eyes flashing a pale purple. “Eamus in mundi inter invisibilem.”

Dipper felt a mild tingling that prickled along his skin and scales. He shuddered at the feeling, it wasn’t unpleasant but foreign enough to cause minor discomfort. Bill’s hands squeezed his own and Dipper glanced around them letting out a surprised yelp. Everything around them lacked color, everything but the siren and pirate had lost all pigment. It made Dipper disoriented as his eyes flitted around. He whimpered and subconsciously pressed closer to Bill.

“Sorry Pine Tree, forgot to mention the side-effects of the spell. Don’t worry, once the spell is gone you can see color again,” Bill tried to sooth the siren. Though he’d be lying if he said he didn’t take at least a little pleasure from a natural predator clinging to him like a small child.

“How long will this spell last?” Dipper asked nervously.

“Without being tampered with it lasts for about six hours,” Bill replied, his hands gently carding through Dipper’s hair.

Dipper pulled away to speak, “Then we need to get going, I can magic us there but-”

“Bad idea, we don’t know what that will do to this spell, not to mention we need to conserve energy,” Bill cut in.

Dipper nodded before speaking again “I’m going to first renew the breathing spell on you.”

“That was a breathing spell?” Bill asked.

With a curt nod Dipper leaned in and pressed his lips against Bill’s. Without the panic and enough oxygen Bill could definitely feel a wave of magic that he had missed earlier. It was like the kiss of life, only it meant he could survive the cruelties of the sea, or at least the breathing under water part. Bill was certain Dipper didn’t have a problem with water pressure. Dipper’s hands released Bill’s shirt in favor of holding on to his arm once again.

Bill let his muscles go lax as Dipper flipped his tail, driving them forward again. The siren Angled them downward, his speed increasing with the undulation of his scaly tail. Bill kicked his feet every now and then. Dipper chuckled at his poor attempts to help. They swam together for what seemed like an eternity. Bill was beginning to get antsy when they came upon hundreds of glowing lights.

The pirate squinted, struggling to see into the far distance. If it hadn’t been underwater, he would have said that it almost looked like a town. Lights lit up buildings that appeared to be crafted from a collection of corals and shipwrecks. Various kinds of marine life flitted through the street-like pathways. Humanoid figures with different ends made for intriguing people. Bill wished he could see it in color.

Feeling the pull of a current the two men descended toward a rather large secluded shipwreck. Bio luminescent lights hung from the ship, various kinds of debris arranged in an artistic manner. A large sign declared it to be the ‘Mystery reck’, looking down Bill could see a large ‘W’ stuck in the sand. He couldn’t help but snicker. Dipper gave him a disdainful look. Bill held his tongue but couldn’t quell the smile stretched across his face. It became even harder as Dipper brought Bill right to the entrance of the wreck.

“DI~IIPPER!” a gruff old voice called out, causing both the pirate and siren to flinch.

“S-shi~it,” Dipper whispered.

“You know they can’t see, touch, or hear us. As long as the world around us is grey the spell is still in effect,” Bill stated.

Dipper sent him a glare before grounding out, “That might have been nice to know earlier.”

Chuckling the pirate gestured to the ship. Dipper huffed and pulled Bill with him into the wreck. Various objects littered the aft of the ship, it had been set up to act as some sort of store-like area. A bored cashier with long locks rested behind the counter, flipping through some sort of script. She didn’t look up as they flitted through the room. Just before they reached an exit a very miffed old man swam into the room.

“Wendy! Have you seen Dipper?” the man demanded.

“No Stan, not since early this morning when you sent him out to fix the signs,” Wendy replied in a detached tone.

Stan growled, “That kid knows better than to wander off.”

“No he doesn’t,” Wendy spoke unhelpfully.

“Sta~an!” a cheerful melodic voice called.

Another siren darted into the shop. Her face was similar to Dipper’s, the only difference being the darker tint to her cheeks, indicating a natural constant flush. Her long hair trailed behind her as she swam over to Stan. She circled him in a similar fashion to what Dipper had done to Bill. The young male siren watched her stiffly and the pirate nudged him.

“Have you found Dip Dop yet?” she asked and Bill sniggered.

Stan sighed and pinched his the bridge of his nose, “No, Mabel, not yet, and Ford is upset with me for sending the kid out this morning,” he grouched.

Mabel made a pouting face, “I asked around and no one’s seen him,” Mabel spoke as her tail drooped.

“If the kid knows what’s good for him he’ll come home soon,” Stan muttered dejectedly.

Bill gently prodded Dipper, causing the siren to startle. Dipper looked at Bill, his eyes hard with purpose. He pulled Bill along with him into the berth of the ship. Rooms were split with various plantlife. The siren pulled the pirate into a spacious room filled with oddities and glowing objects. Looking around Bill saw what looked like a bed beside an old desk that was bolted to the floor. Dipper left Bill floating in the ‘doorway’ as he swam over to the desk. Reaching into one of the drawers he pulled out a large bag. The siren then flitted over to the shelves and grabbed things from the shelves, placing them in his bag.

After some rummaging through shelves as well as the bedding, Dipper returned to Bill, taking the pirate once again by his arm. Bill let Dipper lead him through the berth of the ship and down to a large hole in the floor. They stopped in the orlop of the ship, large suspicious objects littering the room. Once again Dipper left Bill at the opening and descended into the room. Weaving through the objects Dipper made sure not to touch anything, lest his great uncle suspect the absence of certain objects too soon.

Reaching his destination Dipper floated above the safe in his great uncle’s room. He carefully coaxed the spells to let him through and he punched in the code. The safe made a hissing noise as it opened and Dipper flitted back a little. Reaching inside the safe Bill saw him pull out three books and place them in his bag. Dipper quickly shut the safe, allowing the spells to fall back into place.

He swam back to Bill, pulling the pirate along. They reached the shop again when Dipper abruptly stopped. Another siren, extremely similar to Stan was currently in the room scolding Stan in low growling tones. Dipper shuddered, frozen in place. Bill glanced from Dipper to the heated argument and back again. The Stan double raised his voice.

“How could you possibly think that was a good idea! You know the kid is too curious for his own good,” the siren growled at Stan.

“He was behaving, the kid hadn’t so much as shown any interest in what’s beyond Gravity Falls for more than a month, besides, he needs room to move. Being cooped up here will drive him insane!” Stan argued.

“You know the consequences of him leaving here!” the other siren began swimming around Stan. “When that kid get’s home I’m going to bind him to the ship!”

“Ford!” Stan scolded. “Be reasonable, if you do that you’ll only drive Dipper away,” he tried to dissuade the other siren.

“I don’t care, the kid needs to learn that he can’t get away with disobeying orders,” Ford hissed out.

Mabel whimpered, causing Stan and Ford to pause their argument. Stan flitted over to her, trying to calm her down. Ford glared at the floor, his cheeks dark with guilt. Even Wendy had put down her script and swam over to Mabel. Dipper made a chirping noise, his instincts kicking in urging him to console his hatch mate. Bill reached over and rubbed Dipper’s arm.

“We need to go before the spell wears off,” Bill urged the siren.

Dipper didn’t respond verbally, but nodded his affirmation and began to swim them out of the wreck. The siren flinched when Mabel whined his name, speeding up to get them away from the Mystery Wreck. They swam in silence, the tension almost worse than the underwater pressure.

“So…” Bill began, “That was intense, you weren’t kidding when you said they were over protective.”

Dipper let out a small whine and stopped swimming altogether. Bill was about to ask if Dipper was okay when the siren ducked into the pirate’s coat. Dipper’s arms circles Bill’s waist as the boy let out a pitiful cry, muffled only by the human’s own figure. Floating in shock Bill didn’t know how to react. He tentatively patted Dipper’s head. The siren sighed and eventually stopped shaking.

“You okay there Pine Tree?” Bill asked.

Dipper nodded and pushed away from Bill. “I’m sorry, I just need… contact. I can’t stand it when she uses that voice. I get jittery and need to do something, I can’t physically ignore her crying because she’s my hatch mate, but I couldn’t let them find me. Ford wants to trap me, Stan is trying to defend me for once, and I just don’t know what to do!” Dipper cried, flailing animatedly, eventually curling in on himself and letting out a distressed high pitched whine.

“I’m guessing a hatch mate is the equivalent of a sibling,” Bill stated unhelpfully.

“I suppose if you feel the need to draw parallels,” Dipper muttered.

“I’m sorry kid, what that man was going to do isn’t right. I’m sorry you have to deal with them…” Bill trailed off. “What did you grab from that one cluttered room?”

Dipper sniffled, “My great uncle Ford’s journals, he’s the one that studies magic and all manner of land and sea creatures.”

“He’s also a total ass, I’m guessing he’s your guardian?” Bill asked.

Dipper nodded, “He’s not always like this, he used to take me on trips with him all the time. We have so much in common! Starting just a few weeks ago was when he pulled the ‘no wandering outside Gravity Falls’ rule. I didn’t even do anything! We were all just having a meal together and Mabel pointed out we’d be reaching our next planetary rotation mark, and he flipped out!” Dipper swam back and forth, his emotions clear on his face.

“Wait wait wait! How old are you?” Bill questioned.

“I really don’t see how that’s relevant,” Dipper stated.

“I want to know if I’ve been hi-!” Bill paused, backtracking a little and clearing his throat, “You have to be at least eighteen to leave home on your own,” he covered.

“Age doesn’t matter, or at least it shouldn’t,” Dipper puffed up his cheeks.

Bill chuckled, looking for something to change the direction of the conversation, “Every time you do that it makes you look like a child. It’s so funny, when I first saw you, you were so majestic and regal, but you can’t be older than a teen. You’re so-”

“If you say cute I swear to the kraken I’ll-” Dipper growled.

“Adorable,” Bill finished.

Dipper glared at the grinning captain, his eyes flashing purple. Before Bill knew what was happening he was being tackled, both men spinning around in the water. Dipper had the advantage, spinning Bill and disorienting the pirate. Determined not to be bested, Bill wiggled his fingers along the sirens sides. Dipper bursted with laughter, his body spasming in response to Bill’s touch. After several minutes of Bill mercilessly tickling the siren, they both calmed down. They floated in the calm water, Bill holding on to Dipper by the siren’s upper arm as Dipper clutched his bag to his chest.

“Bill?” Dipper broke the silence.

“Yes, Pine Tree?”

“Thank you… For understanding, it means a lot.”

“Of course,” Bill stated as he pulled the siren closer, “Now, how about we fix up Mens Scapus.”

“‘Mens Scapus’?” Dipper questioned.

“My ship, her name is Mens Scapus,” Bill replied.

After a moment of thought Dipper spoke, “Mind Scape? Why name her that?” he asked.

“I didn’t name her, my father did. I inherited her after his death,” Bill responded with a flat tone, “but she’s mine, and I cherish her, not because of who I got it from, the old man was a drunken ass.”

“That’s too bad…”

“What about your parental units?”

“Killer whales.”

“Yikes.”

“It’s not too bad, my great uncles took both Mabel and I in, no questions asked. They’re really not awful, or they used to not be.”

Dipper flipped over, grabbing hold of Bill. "Let's go," he spoke, his tone a little happier.

"Lead the way angel fish," Bill said with a smile.

With a light laugh Dipper squeezed Bill's arm and started back towards Mens Scapus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rough translation of the spell is "Let us go unseen into the world between"
> 
> Feel free to talk to me on Tumblr==> http://ira-evanee.tumblr.com


	4. Surfacing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot happens, holy shit is the ship alive? nah.

The trip back to the ship felt significantly shorter compared to the swim to the Mystery Wreck. Bill also figured that the sun had moved on as the ocean was increasingly darker than before.  _ Mens Scapus  _ seemed to greet them, her battered form resting on a plateau. Dipper angled them down and swam over the ship, making small chirps as he assessed all the damage. It took Bill a bit of willpower not to comment on the little chitters the siren was making.

_ Mens Scapus  _ groaned with the shifting weight of the water. Dipper began pulling softly glowing stones from his bag. Bill gave the siren a questioning look.

"These are casting stones, they help focus magical energy," Dipper stated with a small shrug. "I need to place them around the ship, with a vessel of this magnitude we need all the assistance possible."

"So do these stones occur naturally or are they created?" Bill asked with interest.

"I wish they were found naturally, it would make things a whole lot easier. Unfortunately things like these need to be made. However, once made they can last for several seasons before needing to be replenished," Dipper replied.

"That is fascinating. Need help placing them?"

"That would be extremely helpful," Dipper handed Bill several stones. "Place them at key points, like around the main damaged areas. Those will be the points that need the most attention."

"No problem guppy," Bill smirked, taking the offered stones.

Dipper huffed and shook his head, deciding the argument wasn't worth the effort. The siren swam away from Bill to the other side of the ship, placing stones as he went. The pirate took his stones and swam--with difficulty--to the bow of the ship. He envied the kid, if he had a tail this whole thing would be so much easier. Placing the stones down he wondered how long this process might take. If he was being honest the captain felt tired, the entire day had been filled with mostly unwanted excitement. Even though he’d met a siren willing to help him out, he was still worse off than he’d like to be.

Making sure the stone stayed put Bill moved on to another badly damaged part of his ship. The stones seemed to glow brighter as they were placed, wisps of soft green light emanating from their smooth surfaces. Faint patterns glowed within the stone, almost as if they had always been that way. The captain wondered for a moment if they glowed any other color. Swimming proved to be tedious and tiring as he crossed the distance to the next place of ruin. His legs already hurt from exertion. Balancing the stones proved to be difficult, much to Bill’s chagrin. Ten minutes without the siren and he was already worried for his ability to survive on his own.

Bill cursed as he tried placing a stone in a particularly nasty hole that revealed the ship’s berth. Cool hands touched his own, taking the stone and placing it perfectly at the edge of the hole.

“You ok,  _ Captain _ ?” Dipper’s voice held a lilt.

Bill huffed, “Show off. How much magical experience do you have and exactly how long have you lived in this ocean? Yeah, I thought so. Do not even try to broach this, just, do not,” Bill complained with exasperation.

Dipper giggled, grabbing onto Bill’s arm and pulling him to a rather large gash in  _ Mens Scapus _ . Bill resisted the urge to lash out, the state of his ship was only furthering his foul mood. Much to Bill’s relief, Dipper did most of the swimming and stone placing. Once out of stones, the siren circled the perimeter of the ship. A small trill was the sign of affirmation that the placement of the stones was good. The two floated for a moment before Dipper brought them back to the bow of the ship.

“Would you mind terribly if I etched strengthening spells around her circumference?” Dipper asked.

“Depends on your handwriting,” Bill snarked.

“I have great handwriting! Someone had to do the etching on the shack walls,” Dipper grumbled.

“Oh, I hadn’t noticed,” Bill stated nonchalantly.

“... You are insufferable Bill Cipher,” Dipper deadpanned. 

“Hey, I’m not observant, I see something shiny and I can’t look away.”

“What in the shack was even remotely shiny?”

“. . . I’m not at liberty to say,” Bill stated with an emotionless expression.

“I won’t ever understand you, will I?” Dipper asked.

“Probably not.”

Dipper sighed and poked Bill in the side. The captain laughed and nudged the small siren. Dipper slapped Bill with his tail, the impact softened by the water. The pirate laughed as he was shoved away from the siren. Dipper grumbled, folding his arms and puffing up his chest, raising his chin and glared at the pirate captain. Bill covered his mouth in an attempt to keep from laughing, but ended up snorting and laughing anyway.

"Oh my gods, Pine Tree! You're only making yourself look cuter! You're gonna kill me kid!" Bill broke of into laughter, clutching his sides and wheezing uncontrollably.

Two hands gripped either side of Bill's face and the pirate immediately stopped laughing. The siren's face was blank, eyes lacking emotion as he leaned in. For a few seconds Bill wondered if Dipper might kill him. He gulped as the siren leaned over to whisper in his ear.

"I can still let you drown, Cipher, you are at my mercy, not the other way around. Respect me, or I might not continue to be so gracious," Dipper's voice was low and eerily calm.

Bill really hoped the siren wasn't as observant as he seemed, he didn't feel like explaining certain things to someone who wouldn't understand.  _ Mens Scapus _ groaned again, drawing away Dipper's attention. Bill let out the breath he’d been holding. With how calm and docile Dipper was being, the pirate had forgotten how violent a siren's nature really was. By the accounts of sailors their species was known for their cruel habits and a tendency to torment their prey before drowning and devouring them. Bill shuddered, even as small as Dipper seemed he was strong and still potentially dangerous.

Having only heard tales of the dangerous ocean singers, Bill didn’t quite know what they were capable of. Sailors had said their songs could lead a man to drown himself willingly if only to be with them. Others said that sirens would eat the flesh raw from your bones after dragging you beneath the surface, letting you choke on water before eating you alive. A select few had said they didn’t bother with humans, preferring to keep to themselves and away from the surface of the water.

Based on what Bill had seen he figured those few were right, but that didn’t mean he should disregard all other knowledge. Dipper was capable of dragging a full grown man through the ocean's currents, not to mention the last time it was also with a lot of magical rocks. Dipper nudged him, successfully pulling the captain from his thoughts.

“Sorry I snapped. My hatch mate usually teases me in a similar respect, and unless I bite back she won’t stop,” Dipper spoke in a much gentler tone, hands going up and fiddling with Bill’s hair.

“Apology accepted, and I’m sorry I was pushing you, that wasn’t right,” Bill’s voice was raspy and tasted like salt. He hated apologizing but he wasn’t about to let the kid be the bigger person, fish, thing.

Bill winced slightly as Dipper tugged a knot out of his hair. The siren mumbled a few unintelligible phrases under his breath before pulling out another knot. Dipper seemed content as he messed with Bill’s hair, the pirate letting the guppy pull out the knots. Letting his body go lax, Bill waited for Dipper to be done. He watched in silence as the ocean around them began to grow steadily darker. After several minutes Dipper made a noise of approval and his fingers left Bill’s hair, the pirate making a disgruntled noise. Dipper was content to move away and back to the ship, checking over the nearest stones.

“Is hair grooming something you and your guppy pod do on the daily?” Bill asked, still a little dazed from the stimulation.

“Huh?” Dipper gave him a questioning look, “Oh, yeah. I just kind of noticed how tangled your hair was and it bothered me so I fixed it,” Dipper stated with a shrug.

It wasn’t unusual for him to have someone just help out with grooming. Unlike teeth, hair was something that was taken care of or gotten rid of. Sirens prided themselves in how well they groomed themselves, vanity was a trait possessed by all their kind in varying degrees. However, judging by the look Bill was giving him, Dipper figured humans didn’t really care about grooming. He shuddered, humans seemed so barbaric. Bill rubbed his face, clearly there were going to be some interesting cultural barriers.

Running his hands along her side, Dipper wondered what he might be able to use to carve the runes into the swelled wood. It would need to be done after he’d fixed up the major damage, that way the writing would stay consistent along the body of the ship. He’d also need to work out the phrases he would carve, they needed meaning and solidity, empty words would do nothing if he wanted to get the ship back to the surface. Bill nudged Dipper, giving the siren a look that asked what he could possibly be thinking. Puffing up his cheeks he tried to come up with a way to tell the human their current predicament, perhaps he might have a little more insight to give, it is his ship after all. Letting out the trapped air, Dipper watched the bubbles float up and away from them.

"I need a phrase, or a word, something that can be attributed to the ship. That will be what is etched into the ship, and it needs meaning. Perhaps something that is reminisce of her prime. We need something to solidify her recreation, think of it as a bind or contract of sorts. It’s like giving an inanimate object a personality or a will, I’m infusing her with natural magic in something akin to a deal," Dipper spoke in a serious tone.

"I have one, but what exactly are you planning on doing to my ship, guppy?" Bill asked with a scrutinizing look.

Dipper cocked an eyebrow but still made no comment on the nickname, instead he answered Bill’s question. “Your ship has sustained a lot of damage, as you probably know, so in order for us to fix her and get her back to the surface where she belongs we need to use some really precise magic. The stones will help focus it but we also need something that is unique to her alone. We can use time spells, restoration spells, immunity, protection, maybe even a masking spell or two, but we need to tie all of them together so they don’t end up tearing the ship apart instead of fixing her,” Dipper rubbed his face. “However, I’ve only just been exposed to your ship, I know none of the history around her or what has all occurred since the time she first set sail. Your ship is huge, she has etches and emotion engraved in every fiber of wood but it is all unfamiliar to me. If I tamper with any of that then I’ll just be bringing back a shell of the ship she used to be, like a faded copy. I need something from you, something that ties you two together, you know what kind of ship she is. A phrase, or word, maybe even an image will work, but it has to be unique to her.”

Taken aback by the siren’s reply Bill had to think for a moment. He had a pretty good idea of a phrase that would work, hell he even had a word and image in his head that would do the same. That left one question remaining, how exactly were they going to go about this? Dipper fiddled with his hands, nervously waiting for Bill to react to what he’d told him. Looking back at his ship Bill wondered if there was anything better he could think of. The phrase seemed too simple in his mind, but it had been said so often on his ship, by him more than anyone, it held minimal value but it meant a great deal. Tugging a hand through his hair and smirking at Dipper’s indignant huff at having messed up his work, Bill let out a long sigh.

“I have a phrase, but it’s simple, it can hardly be counted as a phrase to be honest,” Bill mumbled.

“Does it have weight to it?”

“Weight?”

“Meaning, the phrase has to  _ have _ meaning, something that makes it unique to the ship. Does it fall under those categories?” Dipper asked, flicking his tail.

“Yes, I believe so. Do we only need one or can we use multiple different etches or words, whatever you call what you're doing?” Bill hated how confused and unsure he was, it made him agitated and it showed in the way his voice deepened into a near growl.

Dipper puffed up his cheeks, letting out the trapped air as he replied. “Multiple is probably a good idea, I’ve honestly never done a spell of this magnitude. My great uncle only ever lets me watch him do spells like this, he uses similar spells to make sure the Mystery Wreck doesn’t actually fall apart. The phrase we use around the shack is “ _ emo negotiationis spectes mirabilia _ ”, it basically translates to “buy the merchandise, you look great” or something like that. Considering it’s a karp trap designed to con fellow ocean dwellers the phrase works rather well… You don’t have to be agitated, it should all be alright.”

Bill snickered at the phrase for a moment before frowning at how obvious he was being. The pirate prided himself in his mysterious nature, no one knew anything of Cipher and if they were unfortunate enough to discover something, they didn’t live long enough to relate what they knew. Bill was an anomaly, a scourge atop the seas, all governments held a secret fear of him. He was known as a heartless demon who preyed upon the unsuspecting. It made Bill’s stomach churn at the thought of his anticlimactic fall. Decades to come people would laugh at his pitiful legacy, it made him angry. How long had Gideon planned this mutiny, how often had he looked at his men with pride while they plotted in secret to overthrow him? Something cold pressed against his forehead, looking up gold eyes met dark brown ones. Dipper’s hand moved down to his cheek and then to his neck, his eyebrows furrowed and his lower lip jutting out.

“What’s troubling you, every time you lose yourself in thought you become angry. Is it because of the state of your ship?” The siren’s voice had reverted back to the same smooth tones he’d used the first time he spoke to Bill.

The pirate grunted and looked away. “That, and many other things, Angel Fish. I doubt you could understand how terrible my position is. Even if we manage to bring  _ Mens Scapus _ back to the surface and find a willing enough crew to maintain her, there will always be the fact that I was defeated. My own crew turned on me and sunk my own ship, a ship that had grown captains shaking in their boots at her mention. I was making a legend for myself, Captain Cipher was not a name you spoke without fear. Now I’m here, shipwrecked, crewless, and at the bottom of the sea with nothing but the most dishonorable downfall a man could have. My once inspiring title as the demon atop the seas has been reduced to nothing more than the man who was foolish enough to be overpowered by a white haired rat! It’s infuriating and demeaning, when people look at my legacy they’ll only know of my failure.”

Dipper watched as the pirate avoided eye contact, his eyes hard as he reminisced his pitiful decadence. The captain was right in saying Dipper couldn’t understand. Having grown up among family and friends had its perks. No one had ever betrayed him or turned their backs on him. Sure, he’d had arguments and there were periods of time where tension was high between him and another friend or family member. It seemed little to nothing compared to an attempt on your life by the people you trusted most. The thought humans would do something that seemed so unorthodox compared to Gravity Falls made Dipper worry. Ford had always held a fascination for their species, a fascination that Dipper shared, it was disappointing to learn that a species that could advance as they had were also cruel and heartless. Then again, Dipper had only met one human, a human that stole and killed as a way of life. He kept reminding himself that there was more diversity among their species, he just needed to get out there and observe them. That lead him to the fact he was, in a way, using the pirate. Bill provided an escape from the ocean, one that Dipper wouldn’t have had unless the pirate had been betrayed. He felt bad, the man had been nothing but cooperative and compliant. Despite his terrible situation he managed to keep a relatively cool head and even tried to help move the process along. Ford had only spoken poorly of pirates, calling them greedy serpents who would kill you without thought or care. He wondered if, under different circumstances, Bill would have killed him. Stories were told about their distant cousins being slaughtered for ransom and in some cases captured and tortured by sailors. Dipper could never bring himself to believe the stories, but with what Bill had told him of his first mate and crew, the boy could believe that there was truth to those stories.

It was Bill’s turn to pull Dipper from his thoughts. The captain smiled as he pinched the siren’s cheek, patting him twice to get his attention.

“Earth to guppy, you still in there? We have a ship to fix,” Bill’s voice held false mirth, his features schooled into a calm facade. Dipper could see right through it.

Shaking his head Dipper smiled, “It’s nothing, just lost in thought,” He paused, face falling a little. “We’ll fix your ship and put things right. Even despite your fall I think that your return from the bottom of the ocean may warrant some fantastic tales. Then again I don’t really know what humans are like. Would they see your return as nothing more than a backlash or would it be surprising? Clearly humans weren’t built to live under water.”

Bill chuckled, it was lighter this time. “How would you feel if someone you believed to be dead returned more alive than ever?”

“I’d wonder if I was still sane or if I’d gone mad,” Dipper replied with a grin.

“If I could paint a picture of the looks on their faces. I doubt any of them suspect that I could possibly return. If we do manage to fix my ship then it’ll be one hell of a ride.”

“Make an image cast of it,” Dipper stated.

“A what?” Bill asked, cocking his head slightly to the side.

“An image cast, it’s like an image you take that is preserved on a surface,” Dipper replied bluntly, did humans not have the basic knowledge of image casting?

“Like a painting?” Bill asked, still confused.

Shaking his head Dipper grinned. “No, it’s this mechanism my great uncle and a friend of his invented on their travels. They wanted to keep an imaged document to make references to but were unable to use any tools to draw or paint it. So they made a box like contraption with a lense. You place a thin surface of rock or parchment beneath a little port, focus the lens, and press this little button. It’ll either leave an indent or ink on the surface of your choosing. That was the first version though, the man he worked with apparently made some modifications, but I haven’t seen any of the new ones. The original design was used to create several and now it’s a common item among our kind.”

Bill blanched, this seemed ridiculous. He supposed that maybe they were a little more advanced. Their magic was clearly more complex and specific, but what Dipper was talking about seemed like machinery and modern revolution. Bill’s head hurt just thinking about it, or maybe it was the water pressure making itself known. The captain grinned despite himself.

“Well, they say the sea is the ultimate mystery, I guess they’re right,” Bill stated.

“Who’s they?” Dipper’s eyes were alight with curiosity.

“Scholars and physicians, people who are well learned.”

“How strange.”

“You’re preaching to the choir, kid.”

For what seemed an eternity the two stared at each other. Dipper wondered at what he might be able to learn from the world above the water while Bill wondered at the technology the sea possessed. It wasn’t until Dipper coughed and broke the stare that Bill realized how awkward the situation was becoming. If Bill could, he would let the water reduce him to nothing. Bill Cipher did not do awkward, it just didn’t happen. This kid, this siren, was definitely an anomaly. It irked Bill that he could be so shaken by such a young child. At least he seemed young. Dipper had a slightly rounded face with large eyes, he was also smaller than Bill, even with his long tail.

The siren swam back to the ship, glancing behind as Bill kicked his legs and tried to follow. Dipper giggled and swam back over to bring him closer to the ship. Bill grumbled but accepted his fate of being a terrible underwater swimmer.

“So… The phrase, I need to know what it is if we ever want  _ Mens Scapus _ back on the surface,” Dipper stated simply.

“Oh, of course,” Bill mumbled, “The phrase, or at least the most prominent one is ‘Buy Gold’.”

One of Dipper’s eyebrows rose, “Seems a bit contradicting, but as long as it works we’ll be fine.”

Bill clenched his jaw, forcing it to relax before speaking again, “There’s more, ‘reality is an illusion’ or ‘It’s a deal’, but there is something a little more significant to her.” Bill spoke quickly, his voice dropping an octave in his irritation.

Noticing Bill’s displeasure at his reaction, Dipper tried to reassure him. “We can use all of those, it really isn’t a big deal, well, it kind of is. What did you have in mind for the final one?”

It was Bill’s turn to cock a brow, causing Dipper to avoid eye contact. “Come, let me show you,” Looking around, Bill realized his error, “You know what, how about I direct us, and you do the swimming?”

Dipper giggled but tightened his hold on the human’s arm. Bill led the siren up to the top deck of the ship and over to a door that lead to Bill’s quarters. The door hung off it’s hinges, a pitiful reminder that Gideon and his crew had been none too gentle when they took over and pillaged their captain of everything of value. Dipper patted Bill’s arm to keep him focused. The once semi-orderly room was as much a wreck as the rest of the ship. The bed was overturned and broken in a few places, Bill’s desk had a large gash across its surface, the map torn and unreadable, various jars and trinkets were strewn about the cabin. Already small fish flitted about the ship. A school of small tuna scrambled away from the two intruding bodies, fleeing through the smashed window that had once held a stain glass image of some prophecy Bill had never cared about. He sorely missed it now that it was gone. Dipper looked around the cabin, his eyes wide and alight with curiosity, but he held firmly to Bill. Directing the siren, the two swam over to the far wall. The room was in disarray, shelves emptied and broken in some places. With a bit of maneuvering and quite a bit of difficulty they managed to remove it from the wall.

Dipper gasped, ”What is that?”

“That would be my father’s seal, the only thing he really had to his name besides this here ship, though for some reason he avoided as much as he could, hardly ever took  _ Mens Scapus _ to sea.”

“Why would you let such a beautiful ship waste away unused?”

Bill shrugged, “He was a strange man.”

“Who had a strange son.”

“Oi! watch your tongue guppy.”

Dipper giggled but quieted quickly, inspecting the seal further. “What is it supposed to symbolize?” He asked.

“It’s a reminder of what we might have had, as well as a sign of what we always will be.  _ Mens Scapus _ was once a ship for her majesty, used to transport cargo, but she was built for battle. There are only five ships in the world built like her and only two are left, well, one if you count the fact she’s sunk in the sea right now.”

“That’s… depressing, why are you being so depressing?”

“My ship’s been sunk, my crew is to blame, it’s colder than it should be, and I have a child siren as my only companion. It’s not exactly fun times and candy drops right now, Angel Fish.”

With a huff, Dipper slumped a bit and leaned into Bill. “Sorry… Though you have to admit that they’re not the only ones to blame. If any person holds fault it would be your first mate, you said he was the one that lead your crew to mutiny. He must have had a reason for doing so, maybe you made him angry or cheated him and he noticed, no one commits mutiny for the purpose of mutiny, right?”

“Welcome to the human world kid, a place where people only ever look out for themselves and will cut your throat before they learn your name. I pride myself in being a just captain, a man that looks after his crew, I'd never cheat one of my own out of their just reward, if piracy was ever just,” Bill chuckled bitterly. “That lowly white rat did not care for my men, only for himself and the wealth he could possess. As you can see he'll take out anyone he sees as a potential threat. Do yourself a favor kid, trust no one. I should have taken that advice before now, maybe then I’d still have my ship and crew.”

The siren nibbled at his lower lip, eyes flashing with pity for the ex-pirate captain. He rubbed his face into the man’s coat, something his sister would do to comfort him.

“Let’s get to work, the etching should only take a few minutes, I’ll be doing it with magic,” Dipper’s voice was soft.

“Ah yes, the perks of being a magical creature, manual labor just became a whole lot easier,” Bill snarked bitterly.

“You’d rather we take several hours to do this?”

Bill sighed exasperatedly, “No, I just wish that this whole thing could have been avoided all together.”

“Ah, but then you would have never met me.”

“True,” Bill stated. He then smiled widely, almost shark like, “It would be a true shame, really. I think I like you, Pine Tree.”

“Ugh,” Dipper pushed Bill away. “Let’s hurry this up, I want to get out of here and you need your ship back on the surface.”

“Me too, guppy... Do your thing.”

Dipper raised an eyebrow, shaking his head and pulling them both from the room. Once outside the ship, Dipper took them a good several yards away.

“I’m going to circle the ship a few times, you can come with me or stay here, but I’ll just be weaving spells and I’ll need to concentrate.”

“I’ll watch from here, it will probably be easier for you.”

“Thank you, I hope not to be long, and if at all possible, you can help me. Just sort of make sure the ship doesn’t implode, not that it’ll implode, but one can never be too careful.”

“That’s not very comforting, guppy.”

“I know, but I’m paranoid, bear with me.”

Bill chuckled but nodded. Dipper smiled at him before slipping away and back to the ship. Dipper began to circle the ship’s berth slowly, psyching himself up for what was certain to be his most complicated spell ever. His bioluminescent body shimmered in the dark waters, the light beginning to grow brighter as he summoned his magic. Closing his eyes he pressed a hand firmly against the side of the ship, summoning the words and images into his mind. He began to chant quietly, letting his voice raise to its normal pitch, dropping some of his held spells in order to focus.

“ _ Audite maria asperis invoco antiquorum placitis et revertentur amissa conspectu meo iure virtutem ita ut ultra non incurratis _ .”

Bill gasped at the sight before him, the scene indescribably beautiful. His ship began to knit back together, currents flowing in and out, curling around the ex captain but not moving him from his spot. The stones glowed almost blindingly, the wood of the ship molding around them as beams to planks to splinters began to reform  _ Mens Scapus _ . If tears could fall from his face underwater, Bill would have let them. Dipper came back into view again, eyes wide in a mix of cyan and purple light, the pupils gone as his voice was raised in an unending chant. Bill’s eyes widened, his heart beating in his ears as he watched the scene unfold before him.

Mind buzzing with energy, Dipper let the magic flow through him. The wood began to expel the water, indenting into the phrases and images Bill had provided for him. The words he spoke tumbled easily from his mouth, almost speaking themselves in the effort to complete the pact. The ship groaned, almost living, and Dipper could feel it, could feel her. She moaned and stretched, feeling herself reform, and Dipper felt it too. He was the ship, the ship was him, he could feel the seas she’s traveled, smell the smells she’d known, he felt her gain as well as her loss and he hungered to know more. His head filled with visions of her glory, her prime, the curve of stars down from the helm to the top deck. Each room and cavern within her bodice could be seen as his mind’s eye navigated her, showing Dipper what she was like within and without. He could feel the sun’s light filter through the captain’s cabin windows, the stained glass casting colorful light around the ornate desk. He swelled with her pride as she sailed to battle, the weight of the loot filling her as they retreated victoriously. The ship wasn’t alive, but she’d lived a life, and she wanted to continue living. The captain’s own yearning for adventure and thrill became hers as well, a path she gleefully took to. Dipper could taste pure excitement, feel her strength, her yearning to keep together, and he understood.

The pattern of words drew out the image Bill had shown Dipper, it was so very clever, the deeper indents making darker lines. Only Bill could see the full design from where he was suspended. The crest of his ancestors stared back at Bill, the circle at the center of the triangle watched him like an eye, emotionless and endless. He shivered. Watching Dipper make another round, Bill took a laboured breath, he could feel the effects of the kiss begin to wear off a bit. He stayed silent, though, watching Dipper circle the ship a fourth time.  _ Mens Scapus  _ was back together, Bill watched in stunned awe as it began to rise, groaning as the water around her pushed against her sides.

The fifth time Dipper came into view, he let his hand slip from the ship, still chanting though his volume had lowered into a quiet whisper. His vision still blurred, mind still buzzing with everything  _ Mens Scapus  _ had endured. He lifted his arms, reaching for something, she wanted something, someone. Dipper's hands gently collided with a warm surface. He could feel the surface expand and contract, living, it was breathing. Bill. Warm hands grasped Dipper's upper arms, a muffled voice calling out to him, what was he saying? He figures it might be his name.

Shaking him once or twice, Bill called Dipper’s name several times. The siren blinked at him, eyes still lit in an eerie cyan purple. The cyan light seemed to almost be fighting the purple for dominance within Dipper’s orbs. Struggling just a little, Bill swam the two of them to the deck of the ship as it began to rise. The siren continued to chant, eyes falling shut as the surface of the deck hit them. The pirate pulled Dipper close, squinting as the rush of the water around them began to increase, the ship tilting upwards as it rose.

A school of colorful tuna looking fish swam around the two of them. Dipper could sense them, feel their questioning gaze. He knew of them, even if he'd never been in contact before. Reaching out a hand, he felt their silky scales brush along him, taking the offered magic and joining in on the unfolding deal.

Breaking the surface of the water, Bill gasped, squeezing the siren in his arms. The strange school of fish he had seen before, flopped about the deck around him. Bill watched with wide eyes as they began to convulse, their little bodies stretching and bubbling as they grew. Crying out, he pulled Dipper closer, hand flying down to pull the siren’s tail closer. Instead of scales, his hands found soft pink flesh. Looking down, Bill's face went red as he was met with a very human looking Dipper, a whole slew of loose scales littering where they sat. A hoarse groan pulled Bill from his observing as he looked over at a group of slightly confused looking people. A large woman with an old face pushed herself off the floor, the same gruff groan emitting from her mouth with the effort she needed to stand.

“Nice to meet you, captain, the name is First Scale, my family and I will be in your service until you get your old crew back, as it is said within our contract.”

“I, you, contract?” Bill stuttered, confusion clouding his head.

“I recruited them to help us man the ship, they'll serve for as long as they are needed.”

Bill's head shot down to look at Dipper, the siren's brown eyes looking back at him.

“You're voice, and legs, Pine Tree, what happened?”

“I… I broke a lot of rules, and performed a lot of magic, I had to drop some personal spells to complete fixing your ship. As for my tail, or lack thereof, I've been separated from my mother waters. My scales fell away and my body accommodated itself to the current conditions. For all intents and purposes, I am, human,” Dipper's voice wavered at the end of his explanation.

“And your voice?”

“I wasn't always a male, Bill,” Dipper bit his bottom lip, avoiding Bill's gaze.

“Oh, I see,” bill spoke softly.

Leaning back, he quickly shrugged off his coat, pulling it around and over Dipper's shoulders. Dipper have him a grateful look and scooted away from the pirate captain. Bill quickly stood, offering a hand to the former siren. Bright mocha eyes stared dumbly at the hand before reaching up and grabbing it. Bill pulled him up, the boy wobbling and falling against Bill with a soft grunt. Chuckling lightly, the pirate pulled him into a tight embrace in an attempt to steady the shaking boy.

“No worries, you'll be running around on these walking sticks soon enough.”

“I can feel the earth's weight on me, dragging me back down to the water,” Dipper breathed out heavily. “I feel so oppressed, and small, do all humans feel this way?”

Bill laughed lowly, rubbing Dipper's shoulders. “Not all humans, no, but I can imagine after never having been under the unhindered force of gravity you might feel a little weighed down. I promise it'll pass with time.”

“Captain, if I may, I can take mister Pines to get accommodated, maybe get some proper dress wear?” The old woman, First Scale, asked with a slight bow of her head.

Bill shook his head once, “No need, I can get Pine Tree what he needs, you and your,” he glanced at the other men and women standing at attention, “school, can get acquainted with the ship.”

“Very well, captain,” she replied before turning to her own and speaking in a strange warbled language to which the crew replied in kind.

Bill directed his attention back to the teetering ex-siren clinging to him. He smiled sheepishly as mocha eyes glared back. Grinning and letting his eyelids droop, Bill gave no warning as he bent and scooped Dipper into the arms, the boy letting out a shrill cry before glaring at Bill again.

“I’ll get you settled, you look like you’re about to fall over, and not just because you can’t walk yet. Sleep now, and in the morning we’ll be on our way, any questions?” Bill spoke softly, trying to smile reassuringly at Dipper.

“Just one,” Dipper replied, cheeks red with embarrassment at his apparent weakness.

“And what might that be?”

“What the hell is candy?”


	5. In These Circumstances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this we remember that Dipper is still an adolescent.

Bill was right in assuming Dipper would fall asleep quickly. No sooner had the captain laid him down before the siren was out like a light. A small smile wormed its way onto Bill’s face as he watched the slow rise and fall of the boy’s chest. He was still swaddled in the captain’s cloak, the garment dwarfing the kid’s slight frame. It was almost endearing, if Bill was able to consider that kind of feeling.

Quickly turning away, Bill decided to focus on the state of his ship. His head spun even after he turned, the front of his head pounding in pain. Bill groaned. He was too tired for this, mutiny, near drowning, a siren’s kiss, the invisibility spell, his ship’s restoration. It was too much excitement and only now was he feeling all of it. Yawning loudly he turned slowly back to the bed where Dipper was curled up. With little to no thought he slipped in next to the siren, and was out as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Waking up with a bright light shining into your face was a new experience Dipper never wanted to relive. Cracking an eye open he groaned, closing it quickly and nuzzling into his sister’s warm body. She must have slithered into bed with him during the night, his mind provided helpfully. He listened for the sounds of his grunkles making food down below but heard nothing. Squinting his eyes, Dipper sat up and looked around his room. Did Mabel redecorate? Looking down, Dipper let out a shriek, that was not his sister lying next to him.

Trying to swim back he stumbled and gasped, he wasn’t in the water, he was not with his mother waters. The figure next to him began to shift and groan. The room seemed to tilt as Dipper’s body started to numb. The walls around him seemed to be getting closer, the air in the room being vacuumed out. Dipper gasped, his head feeling light and his body shaking.

Bill woke with a start, seeing a terrified Dipper hyperventilating as his eyes glazed over. Springing up, he gripped the kid’s shoulders, rubbing them and calling out quietly to Dipper. The siren whimpered, shivering under Bill’s hands. Jumping into action he quickly scooped him up and hopped off the bed. Shoving the door open with his shoulder he ran to the middle of the deck. The shedded scales still lay across the floor but Bill ignored them. The fish crew looked on in bewilderment as Bill knelt on the deck and laid Dipper down, making sure his coat was still around the boy. He stepped back slowly, eyes never leaving the shaking form huddled in his cloak.

The world continued to spin, slowing slightly as the feeling of salty, something, is this what a breeze feels like? Dipper felt himself being laid on a hard surface. He could hear the ocean below him through the many decks of the ship. The ship, the deal, Bill. He’d saved a pirate, he’d fixed the ship and turned a noble fish breed into a crew. He’d shed his scales. He broke so many rules. He was free. He was out of the water and he was free.

“Pine Tree.”

“Bill!”

The captain watched as the bundle stopped shivering and sprung up. A full head of chocolate brown curls bounced as Dipper turned his whole body to face him. The kid had the biggest smile on his face, another difference being spotted. The once sharp knives were now the normal flat teeth found in all humans.

“I, I did it, everything’s okay?”

“Yeah kid, my ship’s back together and we have a crew. Still need to look over her but I think everything is in order.”

The ex-siren’s smile calmed into something a little less reminiscent of his siren smile, giving way to humble little dimples that indented both of his cheeks. The kid couldn’t be older than sixteen, he still had baby cheeks for crying out loud. Walking back over to Dipper, Bill knelt next to him.

“So, panic attack?”

Dipper looked around nervously, his cheeks reddening at his apparent weakness. “Not here,” his eyes met another crew mate’s and he quickly dropped his gaze.

Understanding flashed in Bill’s eyes and he swiftly picked Dipper up, walking quickly back into his cabin, the eyes off the enchanted crew following them. The door still stood open and Bill slipped inside, closing it with his heel as he headed back over to the bed. Placing Dipper down the pirate sat next to him, turning slightly to face the fidgeting ex-siren.

“You gonna tell me what’s up, guppy?”

Dipper took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. “I was a little disoriented this morning.”

“A little? Kid, you screeched like a, well, siren. I thought for a moment something was attacking us.”

“I, for a moment I thought I was back in the Wreck, I didn’t recall anything until you placed me on the deck.”

Bill nodded his head in understanding, “You know, kid, people who aren’t positive with big decisions like the one you made usually suffer from similar episodes.”

Pulling his knees up, Dipper rubbed at his face. “I broke so many rules, Bill, I left my mother waters, I left my family, my hatch mate, hell, I shed my scales!”

Lifting an unsure hand, Bill placed it on Dipper’s back. “Pretty big decisions, you sure you want to come along?”

“Positive, one hundred percent positive,” Dipper said, turning to look at Bill.

“Really, cause you still look like you might upheave whatever contents you have in your system.”

“Assuming I have anything in my system.”

“Then we’d better get something into your system, let you try out that new pair of chompers you got going on.”

“What’s wrong with my teeth!?” Dipper almost yelled, a hand going up to his mouth.

Bill chuckled, “No more tearing into raw flesh, Pine Tree.”

Opening his mouth, Dipper felt along his flattened very human teeth, and whined. “Oh my god, what the hell, oh my stars, this, this is terrible.”

“It’s not so bad, guppy, honestly I think the worst thing is going to be teaching you to walk.”

“You don’t understand, a siren’s valubility to the pod is based on our ability to hunt, i.e. teeth! I’m not even on the scales anymore!” Dipper groaned out.

“Not that what I say matters, Pine Tree, but you’re not a siren right now.”

Dipper let out another strangled whine, sending Bill an almost pitiful expression, eyes wide and mouth open and closing like a gasping fish.

“Listen, listen, how about we focus on something else, like, what rules did you exactly break? Why did you ultimately decide to help and accompany me on this road of revenge?”

“I, well, I wasn’t supposed to leave Gravity Falls.”

“One.”

“I skipped out on work at the Mystery Wreck.”

“Two.”

“I conversed with a stranger.”

“Three.”

“I made contact with a human.”

“I’m gonna say three and a half, considering the dashingly handsome stranger also happens to be the human.”

Dipper snorted. “I took great uncle Ford’s magic stones.”

“Four.”

“I practiced magic inside the Wreck.”

“Five.”

“I brought a male into my room without telling anyone.”

“Ooh, naughty Pine Tree,” Bill winked. “Six.”

Dipper lightly punched Bill’s shoulder. “I made a magical deal.”

“Seven.”

“I recited a spell that used a lot of personal magic.”

“Eight.”

“I went to the surface.”

“Nine.”

“I left my mother waters.”

“Ten.”

“I’m consorting with a man who is against the law.”

“Eleven.”

“That’s it.”

“Wow kid, breaking rules left and right, I’m so proud I might just shed a tear.”

“Laying it on a bit thick, aren't we?”

“Seems necessary when it comes to you, Angel Fish.”

“I'd say that you were charming, but your voice is so grating it loses all the passion.”

“You wound me, Pine Tree, if I'm so terrible then why did you decide to come with me, what possessed you to help a human law breaking man like myself, when clearly you already have so many of your own problems to deal with?”

“Are you referencing my current sex identification?”

Bill quickly held up his hands as Dipper glared darkly at him. “Not just that, guppy, but the whole rule scale, why go so far out of your way? Your pod seems to care enough about you, your family seems kind enough, why would you want to leave all that behind?”

Dipper's shoulders sagged as he looked away from Bill, letting out a deep sigh. “It's not that I don't like my pod or anything, they're just… they're suffocating, always watching and never letting me have space. I do one thing that isn't deemed normal for me and they immediately start riding my tail. I want to study, to learn and understand everything I can, I want to travel like my great uncle and see the world first hand. I can't do that while being cooped up in Gravity Falls. I don't want to be stuck at home pretending to be okay with it all. I'm not okay, I'm stressed all the time and constantly trying to keep up appearances. I want to be free, and I am now, but at the same time, so much has changed and I don't know if I really made the right choice or not.”

“Wow, now who's laying it on thick?”

“Still you, you obtuse jerk.”

“You're right, I'm just so thick everything I do automatically becomes thick.”

Dipper snickered, shifting in an attempt to get comfortable on the bed, grimacing as he stared at his legs.

“So, when did breasts become a thing?”

“Since forever? I'm honestly disgusted by them.”

“Gets in the way?”

Dipper shook his head, “They feel wrong, my body felt wrong, I've always felt more inclined to the opposite sex, it feels right to me.”

“So, why not do the same in this state? I can see that those clearly bother you,” Bill gestured to the boy’s chest.

Grimacing, he rubbed his face again. “You see, in order to change things the way I do, I need to know the anatomy and functions of… those parts, and I can hardly comprehend what the hell I even have right now, your human bodies might be completely different to that of a sirens. I know we have different lungs for one, who’s to say that the rest of the human body is as foreign as a dry rock from wet sand?”

“Kid, kid, slow down, I shouldn’t have asked, but I see what you mean. I won’t bother you about it, okay? I have-had-a crew member with a similar standpoint, but she would whip your ass if you so much as insinuated something was different. I respect your decision to pursue your ideas and such, your body kid, you decide what’s up.”

“Thanks, I guess,” Dipper sighed, rubbing at his eyes in minor frustration.

“Of course, I won’t have anyone in my crew ill at ease,” Bill replied with a sharp smile, his eyes flashing in the light.

Dipper turned to look at the room, smiling and letting out a soft sigh at the colorful splotches of light illuminating the room.

“Your ship is beautiful.”

“You’ve hardly seen her yet, Pine Tree.”

“Mmmm, I think I know her just as well as you now, if not more.”

“You know her anatomy, not her full history, what wood she’s made of, her first battle.”

“Maybe not visually, but I’ve felt it.”

“What do you mean? What exactly happened in that spell? Your eyes glowed and you seemed so distant.”

“I uh, the spell essentially allows me to temporarily personalize an inanimate object, enabling a form of communication between us. In the midst of the spell I was able to feel and see much of what  _ Mens Scapus _ has. So you may know your ship well, but I know her as she knows herself.”

“Already getting intimate with my ship are you? I knew you'd bring trouble,” Bill chuckled.

“If it makes you feel any better all the flashes and bits of memory and feeling were very uplifting and joyous.”

“Nice to know she likes me back,” the captain joked with a fond grin.

“I would say so, a captain in possession of a ship that harbors no form of genuine connection is a terrible position to be in.”

Bill opened his mouth to reply as a sharp knock sounded on the cabin door.

“Come in,” Bill called out, an underlying tone of authority weaved into his voice.

“Captain,” an older woman entered the room, her head lowered in respect.

“First Scale,” Bill inclined his head, a sign that he was allowing her to speak.

“The crew is awaiting orders, I believe you wanted to take inventory and check up on the ship yourself,” she replied with an even voice, only glancing once over at Dipper.

“Yes, yes, though judging the position of the sun and your current presence here I’m to assume you’ve already done so?”

The woman smiled kindly, “Of course, and we’ve made some food for everyone already, our  _ incantatores triae _ should eat something so as not to become fatigued,” her eyes turned to Dipper.

“Spellcaster?” Bill questioned.

“The boy,” First Scale replied easily.

“Understood, we’ll be to the mess hall shortly,” Bill responded, drawing the woman’s gaze back to him.

She nodded and backed out of the room, leaving the captain and ex-siren in silence.

“So,” Dipper spoke first, “how exactly am I going to get to the mess hall?”

“Simple, you need to learn to walk at some point,” Bill replied, turning to Dipper with a wide grin, eyes twinkling with mischief.

“Hoh boy.”

“Oh yes, get ready Pine Tree, you’re going to learn some proper human etiquette.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to apologize for that ridiculously long hiatus I sprung on you all. Those of you that read the other fics I'm writing are probably fed up with it too, not to mention that totally out of the blue change in accounts. I'm going to tack it of as personal issues because there is no other excuse for my lack of activity. This story, at least, will continue to be updated every Friday. A couple of my other stories are in the process of being rewritten, like Hanging on Wires, as well as Of Castles and Demons. I'm also working on DLYHPYS, which is another one of my main focuses currently, but there is also the Salem series which is by far the biggest fic I have right now, though literally none of it has been posted yet. So, prepare yourselves, we're in for a long wild ride.
> 
> ~ Ireena


	6. Unstable but Trying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The **real** chapter six:
> 
> It's okay to feel down, but unhealthy to dwell.

Dipper was certain, absolutely one hundred percent positive, that being a human was legitimate torture used in the cruelest sense. The clothes Bill had provided for him were blessedly loose, hanging off his ever persistent curves. Bones seemed to stick out in weird places and Bill complained that he seemed sickly thin. Dipper brushed him off but still glared at his reflection every time he saw it. Secretly he was glad he finally had something to cover his frame. Vanity wasn't usually on the list of Dipper's priorities, but with the way Bill had grimaced at the sight of the jutting bones he figured he should probably start making an effort on his physical appearance.

The only thing worse than his apparel, was the fact Bill was dead set on getting him to walk as soon as possible. Dipper always hated bruises, now his new legs were practically littered with bright patches of purple and blue. He was honestly beginning to hate Bill, just a little, the man was an utter brute. It didn’t help that the ship rocked whenever large waves hit its side, making Dipper’s already poor balance even worse. Walking down to the mess hall was more like falling and rolling down into the ship as the enchanted crew watched on and cringed at the display. Dipper felt utterly humiliated, these mere fish, however ensorcelled and magical they may be, had been able to walk as easily as they breathed.

Bill ended up carrying him back to his cabin, silent as Dipper inwardly fumed. It was night again and the two of them sat awkwardly on either side of the captain’s bed. The ex-siren rubbed at a few of the little purple bruises on his legs, anger dissipating as silence dragged on.

“Sorry I’m so useless outside the water,” He finally mumbled out.

Turning slowly, Bill looked down at the hunched over boy. “Don’t rub them, they’ll only hurt worse and you’ll be sore.”

Dipper chuckled bitterly. “Being human sucks.”

“You’re preaching an awful big sermon kid, though the only ears that hear you right now are from someone a bit more experienced in that area. It’s definitely unpleasant at times, but there are perks, perks I think you’ll enjoy once you have a wider range of mobility.”

“Maybe, but I honestly think shoving me overboard might be easier than staying here and being a burden,” Dipper huffed, upset more with himself than anyone else.

Feeling the back of his shirt get tugged roughly, Dipper found himself laying on his back looking up at the hard face of Bill Cipher.

“Unless you are absolutely set on going home, I need you here, believe it or not your presence on this ship is not only required but greatly appreciated. Walking is something humans learn at a really young age and it takes a while, don't beat yourself up over something you've never done before.”

“Easy for you to say, your one big mistake was mutiny, one that you still came out on top of. I'm literally a beached fish, I can't even do simple tasks, I hardly know anything about humans, I feel home sick, why did I ever leave the water!?” Dipper's voice raised into a yell towards the end, his chest heaving as his eyes watered. He lifted a hand to his eyes, feeling the liquid gather and being to fall. “Oh my god,” he whimpered, hands flying to his face. “I-I'm secreting liquid! My eyes are going to dry out! Oh my Neptune Bill, I'm dying!” The young boy cried, his body trembling.

“Kid!” Bill tried calling out, hand reaching over to shake the trembling boy. “They're just tears, they're normal. Kid, Pine Tree, snap out of it.” He began shaking Dipper roughly as the boy wailed. “Dipper!” He yelled slapping the boy across the face, “You're not dying!”

Dipper immediately ceased blubbering, eyes wide as he lifted a hand slowly to his cheek. Tears still glided down his reddening cheeks, lower lip quivering, but he was silent now with the exception of a few sniffles. His large mocha eyes stared at Bill in slight shock, an almost betrayed look in the wet orbs.

“Don’t give me that look, kid.”

“You hit me,” Dipper’s voice held accusation and hurt, it made Bill cringe.

“Listen Pine Tree, I’m not a good person, the fact that I haven’t smacked some sense into before now is astounding to even me. You’re not going to die, humans secrete liquid during intense emotional turmoil. Now, either you get your shit together, or you’re going to have an even harder time dealing with this change. I understand that this _big decision_ really threw you into a despondance, but out here, on my ship, with the kind of people we’re going after, you can not allow yourself to be this vulnerable,” Bill sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. “Look kid, I want to be kind to you, it’s not in my nature to take people in or accept any form of assistance. I am willing to stick it out with you because I believe that you have potential and are strong enough to handle yourself. So from here on out I’m going to teach you all I can about living in this world. I won’t go easy on you and I expect you to learn quickly, however, don’t hesitate to tell me when things get too hard.”

A hush of comfortable silence permeated the cabin, Dipper taking a moment to process what Bill was saying. He wasn’t moribund, it was just a human reaction to emotions. Bill had hit him, but he’d done so to cease his personal turmoil before another panic attack ensued. He hadn’t said it, but Bill’s body language suggested that he was none too pleased with Dipper’s self loathing, and it made Dipper feel just a little better. He knew it wasn’t good to hate oneself but it just seemed so challenging to change the way he saw himself. Finally, Bill was going to teach him. The captain claimed he didn’t want to force Dipper to do anything, and he wasn’t planning on harming him, he’d said as much.

Despite all that Ford had claimed about humans and pirates, Dipper found that he was wrong in several respects, or at least Bill wasn’t the average human pirate. Letting his hands fall into his lap, Dipper let out a small sigh, lifting his head to give Bill a grateful smile. The captain smirked back, slipping off the bed and over to his desk leaning down to open the bottom drawer. He pulled out a small box and placed it on the desk, opening it and retrieving a few small bottles. Taking out some white material of some sort, he walked back over to the bed and sat down.

“Thank you, Bill, for believing in me,” Dipper spoke delicately.

“No problem, sometimes in order to believe in one’s self, someone else must believe too. Here, I have some numbing ointment for those bruises, it won’t make them go away but they won’t hurt as much,” Bill spoke, reaching over to pull the boy closer.

Dipper scooted across the plush material and stuck his legs out for Bill to get to. “Thanks.”

“Of course, can’t have my first mate bitching all tomorrow,” Bill stated with a grin, uncapping a bottle and putting the bit of material to the opening before tilting it down. He flipped it back up and began dabbing the ex-siren’s legs with the soft material.

The relief wasn’t fast, but it was noticeable. Dipper watched as Bill made sure to dab the odd smelling liquid over the bruises. “What’s that bit of material? It’s so soft.”

“This thing?” Bill held up the material and Dipper nodded. “It’s called cotton, people make clothes from it too, but it can be used for medical reasons as well, it’s an extremely useful resource.”

“How strange.”

“S’not strange, just different from what you know. I assume that you use different kinds of materials to cover yourselves?” Bill inquired, finishing up his work. He got up and and put the bottles away, tucking the box back into his desk before heading over to an open window and throwing out the cotton piece.

“We don’t find covering up really necessary, it just gets in the way… Why did you throw out the cotton? I thought it was useful?”

“It’s only useful when it’s clean, guppy, if used again it might make things worse, especially if it's a cut.”

“That’s a little disconcerting,” Dipper frowned.

“Yes, well, even the air is filled with possible disease, living underwater probably did you favors in that respect, ever get sick before?”

“Yes, turbulent motion makes my insides feel odd.”

“Yes, but have you ever gotten a runny nose or thrown up the contents of your stomach?”

“No?”

“I doubt that you’d be exposed to the same kinds of bacteria underwater as you would above the surface, so I’m not surprised, we’ll see how things pan out then.”

“How do you know so many details about healing?”

“It’s called medicine here, and unlike sirens, humans have to rely on the natural healing process and bodily functions in order to not die, that or remedies we’ve created throughout the ages. I find the study interesting, and out at sea with plenty of people trying to kill you, there are times where knowing a bit of medicine is beneficial. I’m sure by the end of our voyage you’ll have had your share of battle wounds. After all, I’m going to be the one training your sorry ass,” Bill grinned widely, his eyes twinkling with some unnamable emotion.

“What do you mean by training?” Dipper inquired skeptically.

“Oh, nothing too intense, at least not until you can walk properly. Although, I think the fastest way to teach you that is to get you to find your center, and one of the best ways to find that, is through sword practice.”

“Sword practice?” Dipper sat up straight, eyes filling with intrigue. “You mean, using those long metal blades? You’re going to teach me to fight?”

“You bet your scales, guppy, I’m going to teach you all I know about sword fighting, then we can move along to gun work, I don’t trust them as much, but they have their uses.”

Letting out a small squeal, Dipper slipped off the bed and stumbled over to Bill, wrapping his arms around the man in a tight hug. Wheezing at the force behind it, Bill patted the boy’s back with a smile and a chuckle.

“When do we start?” Dipper stepped back.

“Tomorrow, you’ll need some rest and to let the inevitable soreness dispel before you can effectively train,” Bill spoke, laughing at the pout Dipper sent him at his words. “Look Angel Fish, you’re going to be extremely sore after the first day, and I can’t have my first mate out of commission too quickly, now can I.”

Looking down, the ex-siren nodded. “You… You keep calling me your first mate, do you really mean it?” He looked back up at Bill.

“Course I do, kid,” Bill ruffled Dipper’s hair. “Come on, time to rest. I'll get you for dinner”

Hooking his arm around Dipper's waist, Bill lead him over to the bed and set him onto the mattress, stepping away to give the boy space. Wriggling under the sheets Dipper sent him a grateful smile. Bill left the room, gently closing the door behind him. Bill was rarely an honest man, many referring to him as a cruel demon, emotionless and apathetic. He himself has backed this assumption up on many occasions, letting simple folks run wild with outlandish tales that left even grown men quivering in their skins. So then why did this small petulant child, hardly of age, continuously cause such a violent influx of emotions? It was nigh infuriating, but in the same moments it was intriguing. Bill wanted to write this feeling off as some form of siren magic, but it didn't make sense, and if Bill was being honest, he wanted to know what it all meant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember that crying Dipper tag? Yeah, I told you it'd be relevant.
> 
> It's a short chapter, filler mostly, but the next one will make up for it, I _promise_. We're getting back into that descriptive intricate writing from the first chapter!
> 
> Hope you guys didn't mind my little joke, and just fyi "Toyota" is "Ford", i like making puns. ; j


	7. Seeking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's happening back in the sea?

Ocean tides are much like the way a person breaths. It is natural, instinctual, and can not be stopped. From the very beginning of new life the gentle ebb and flow of the ocean is felt, a constant comfort, a sweet embrace. The water currents are like living entities, calm and collected but also violent and callous under terrible duress. The Mother's waters host and protect all that rest within her, wrapping her proverbial children in her soothing embrace.

Mabel Pines loved the ocean, her mother waters ensuring that even though life could be unfair, she still had something to be happy about. She'd lost her parents, but she had her brother and great uncles. She didn't have a lot of friends, but those she did have were there for her always. Even though there were times things seemed bad or she got into a fight, she always managed to bounce back and stay positive. It helped having a hatch mate that looked after her, his own mellow character balancing out her passionate nature. Dipper Pines was her greatest friend and brother, she would do anything for him and he for her. So when their Grunkle Ford forbade him to leave the falls and cut back on magic training, she was there to comfort him.

It hurt to see him sulk over not being able to explore. He was naturally curious and loved to learn, sharing his experiences with her when he returned. If it was a particularly interesting discovery, he would bring her along, the two of them exploring and just enjoying their time together. After Ford's new rules were set in place, Dipper would often tell her about elaborate plans to leave and travel the globe, expressing his desires to know more about all the earth's inhabitants. It worried her, but she knew in her heart that he would never leave, not while there was still something for him in Gravity Falls. At least, that's what she thought.

It was unnatural for Dipper to be gone this long. He left early in the morning, telling her he just wanted to check on the state of some of the coral, that he'd be back before dark. Stan had told him to go out and move around lest he start molting out of boredom, but he wasn't back yet. She had gone down to the coral and he wasn't there. It was odd, being lied to by someone who'd only ever told you the truth. She didn't tell Stan, not until the enchanted stones throughout the town were lit. Stan called for her brother but went unanswered and she began to really worry.

“DI~IIPPER!” Stan's gruff voice rang through the air. “Wendy! Have you seen Dipper?” the man demanded turning to the redhead behind the counter.

“No Stan, not since early this morning when you sent him out to fix the signs,” Wendy replied in a detached tone.

Stan growled, “That kid knows better than to wander off.”

“No he doesn’t,” Wendy spoke unhelpfully.

“Sta~an!” Mabel called out, deciding to intervene before Stan became irritable. “Have you found Dip Dop yet?”

Stan sighed and pinched his the bridge of his nose, “No, Mabel, not yet, and Ford is upset with me for sending the kid out this morning,” he grouched.

Mabel made a pouting face, “I asked around and no one’s seen him,” Mabel spoke as her tail drooped.

“If the kid knows what’s good for him he’ll come home soon,” Stan muttered dejectedly.

She kept her fears to herself, trusting that if something was indeed wrong, Stan would act quickly and alert them. Ford entered the Wreck’s shop with a frown, looking around, not seeing all his family. His eyes landed on Mabel, question lighting his gaze.

“Stan sent Dipper out this morning to check on the coral, he said he’d be back in time for dinner and that he’d make up work hours later, but he hasn’t been home since and he wasn’t at the coral. Stan tried calling him and I asked around, but he hasn’t come back or answered and I’m really worried, he’s never been gone this long!” She got out almost all in one breath, her eyes stinging.

“Calm down, sweetie, he’s probably just sulking at the edge of town,” Stan stated, swimming over to comfort the young twin.

“You sent him out this morning,” Ford growls out, swimming over to Stan with a scowl etched into his face. “What were you thinking? You know he's supposed to be under near constant supervision. The kid's too curious to be released out there on his own!”

“He's not a young child anymore, Ford, you can't expect him to follow you blindly. Dipper is going to get out and explore regardless of whether we give him permission or not,” Stan replied evenly, voice low. Wendy glanced up from her script as Mabel twitched nervously.

Ford lowered his voice even further. “You know what kind of horrendous monsters are out there, it's dangerous, especially for him.”

“Dipper needs to get out and move, I thought that it'd be a good idea to let him go rather than him sneaking out. Besides, he was only supposed to head over to the reefs and fix the signs.”

“Stop changing your alibi Stanley, tell me exactly what you did!”

Stan sighed but gazed evenly and Stanford. “The kid's been antsy all month, picking at his scales and sulking. Signs needed to be fixed for the shack and the coral needed some cleaning, so I sent him out. Work gets done, the kid gets out to move around, everyone is happy. Dipper is a good kid, Ford, he knows how to handle himself.”

“How could you possibly think that was a good idea! You know the kid is too curious for his own good!”

“He was behaving, the kid hadn’t so much as shown any interest in what’s beyond Gravity Falls for more than a month, besides, he needs room to move. Being cooped up here will drive him insane!” Stan argued.

“You know the consequences of him leaving here!” Ford began swimming around Stan. “When that kid get’s home I’m going to bind him to the ship!”

“Ford!” Stan scolded. “Be reasonable, if you do that you’ll only drive Dipper away,” he tried to dissuade his twin.

“I don’t care, the kid needs to learn that he can’t get away with disobeying orders,” Ford hissed out.

Mabel whimpered, causing Stan and Ford to pause their argument. Stan flitted over to her, trying to calm her down. Ford glared at the floor, his cheeks red with guilt. Even Wendy had put down her script and swam over to Mabel. The red head patted Mabel's back and clicked softly to soothe her.

Stan turned back to look at Ford, “Listen, you know as well as I that a Pines doesn't do well tied down. Dipper has far too much intellect and drive to stay behind and obey orders, Poseidon knows you couldn't. He'll be gone probably till after dinner, then he'll come home and be content for a while.”

Ford sighed, “As much as I hate to admit it, you have a point,” Ford met Stan's gaze, “but if he isn't home by noon tomorrow I'm going out to look for him. I might do so sooner due to...” he trailed off clearing his throat, side eyeing Mabel and Wendy.

Stan narrowed his gaze and Ford motioned for him to follow. The two old men left the shop, heading to Ford's room. The dark cavern was just barely lit, enough so one wouldn't bump into anything. Ford lead Stan to the back of the room, right to where the safe was nestled among other various junk Ford had accumulated.

“Alright, Point Dexter, what's going on that we couldn't discuss this in the shop?”

“One of our lookouts spotted two ships not too far from the edge of town. Normally it's just the run of the mill merchant ship, not important and really ignored.”

“Where are you going with this Ford? Merchant ships aren't worth mentioning unless you're trading with them.”

“Exactly, ships only come here when it's time to trade, and it's only ever smaller vessels. Our lookouts said that there were two large ships with the same flag. Suspicious to begin with, but more so when I was told that one was blasting cannons into the other. Stan, one ship was purposefully sinking the other.”

“Probably navy, humans have regular disputes.”

“Two ships with the same flag opposing each other?”

“You and I both know that humans aren't exactly ethical, we've experienced enough disputes and cruelty to know as much.”

Ford sighed again, looking worn and a little disgruntled. “One of the lookouts wasn't completely sure, but they said the flag was black and white.”

Tense silence overcame the room, both men still. Stan took a deep breath before speaking again. “Pirates?”

“That's what I'm thinking, I'm not sure, but if it is then we need to be cautious.”

“Ford, there haven't been pirates this close since, since-”

“Since Mabel and Dipper's parents were killed, I know. The lookouts said that one ship sunk and the other sailed away, but we should still be cautious.”

“Do you think we should-” Stan was cut off by a loud crash from upstairs.

Both men quickly exited the room, Stan reaching the shop first.

“Mister Pines!” A gruff voice called out, a large girl with tentacles approached Ford with wide eyes. “W-we spotted something you won't believe!” She cried out.

“The ship that sunk nearly eleven hours ago isn't sunk anymore!” Another smaller girl exclaimed, crawling over to stand next to the other girl.

“What do you mean?” Ford asked.

“We were trading off positions with Nate and Lee, but Grenda forgot one of her books so we came back-”

“Candy was just double checking, like you told us to, when-”

“When I saw the ship literally rise from the water! What's even stranger-”

“Was the ship looked to be in perfect condition like-”

“Like it had never been blasted by cannon fire!”

Mabel flitted nervously from side to side, her eyes going from Candy to Grenda and back to Candy as they spoke in a frantic tone. Stan’s face contorted into anger and then fear at their words, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. Ford seemed almost passive, face betraying no emotion as the two young girls delivered their message. The two of them crowded Mabel after they were done talking, embracing their friend upon noticing her slight distress.

“Grunkle Ford, you don’t think Dipper would…” she trailed off, not wanting to finish her sentence.

“I have my doubts Mabel, humans are fickle and unpredictable. They may seem dumb and weak, but they are not to be underestimated. I’m going to go out and check the area for Dipper, put the town on high alert. I don’t trust humans as far as I can throw them.”

“I’m coming with you, if there’s a possibility a few humans are still lingering I don’t want you facing them alone,” Stan spoke, placing his hand on Ford’s shoulder.

“Alright, I should grab my journals, we may need some information from them, something feels off about this whole situation.”

Stan nodded as Ford headed back into his room, he turned to face the girls huddling in the middle of the shop. Mabel's lip quivered, her eyes red rimmed as she clutched her friends close to her. His heart ached seeing her like this, he could hardly imagine what she might be like if she knew the truth. Pirates were always bad news, he knew all too well what they were capable of. He shuddered at the thought. 

A loud crash sounded from ford room, Stan raced down into his brothers room. The other siren's face was contorted into an angry scowl, hands raking through his hair as he swam from one end of the room to the other. The safe was smashed into the floor, obviously empty.

“He took the journals, I don't know how I didn't notice before!”

“Ford calm down, there's no reason for you to be hysterical.”

“I have every reason to be hysterical, Stanley! You know the curse as well as I do! Whatever kind of human he met spun their lies and now Dipper could be lost forever.”

“We don't know that what Cipher said is actually going to happen, he isn't lost yet, we have time. Look Ford, I'm scared too, we don't got a whole lot of family left, which is why we're going to get Dipper back safely.”

Ford sighed, his shoulders sagging as his face fell into a melancholy expression. “You're right, of course you're right, I just--Stan, the kid could be in so much danger, especially with a pirate.” Ford looked away from Stan, a hand rubbing his nose.

“Oh no, I know that look, you only have that look when you're about to do something really really stupid.”

“I have to ask him, Stanley, he's the only one who might know.”

“No, no, you said so yourself, Cipher is a liar, bad news, he can't be trusted!”

“We need to know Stanley, it's the only way.”

Stan groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose he turned away from Ford. “I know I'm not the smartest person, you take the pastry on that one, but this is crazy.”

“One question, that's all I'm asking. Don't worry Stanley, I've got it under control.”

“Fine, but I'm going with you.”

“The more the merrier, it's about time we paid that demon a visit.”

“I guess it was too much to hope we would never have to face this guy again.”

“Sorry, I guess things just aren't too great when it concerns us.”

Nodding solemnly, Stan turned back to face his brother. Giving each other twin looks of reserved fear and apprehension.

“Let's go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's a short chapter, and to be honest I should upload the next one in tribute to Elentori's B-Day considering this fic was based off her dream art. So here's the **_deal_** , if enough people ask nicely, I'll upload chapter 8, which is a great deal longer than chapter 7 as well as some artwork for it. Let me know, and we'll see how things go.


	8. Bruises Mean Nothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little more of "who is Bill, really?" as well as some "Dipper crying"

A sword clatters to the deck swiftly followed by a small body. Groaning, the young man stands slowly, reaching for the sword and facing his opponent. Sweat drips down the side of his face, breaths labored as his body shakes with exhaustion. Mocha eyes glare over at the taller blond man, pale blue eyes alight with glee. The smaller man growled, lips pulling back as he bore his teeth. In a swift motion he lunged for the taller man, their blades clanging with a ring.

“Not bad at all Pine Tree, a little feral like but it certainly speaks character.”

“I keep forgetting that humans have useless dull teeth, it's a wonder how you've managed to survive so long.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment, considering you know very little about humans.”

Dipper parried to Bill’s left, the captain blocking his advances. Faking a left again, Dipper lunged right, momentarily catching Bill off guard who just barely managed to block the siren’s attack.

“I have to admit, you’re getting better.”

“Of course I am, slap me out of a funk and I’ll bounce back stronger,” Dipper huffed, landing a blow on Bill’s shin. He winced at the older man’s pained grunt, once again thanking whatever deity out there that they had chosen sparring swords instead of actual battle blades.

The crew milled about them, watching with interest while a few others also practiced their swordsmanship. Bill lowered his blade as Dipper dropped his own, both of them sweating and breathing hard. Wiping his brow, Dipper grimaced at his perspiration.

“It’s absolutely disgusting how much water you humans excrete, you have to constantly drink to stay hydrated, not to mention you have nothing to prevent sun damage,” Dipper complained, pulling at his sweat soaked shirt.

“Yeah, yeah, keep bashing humans, just be careful around people. Not everyone takes to kindly to some stranger calling their kin strange, especially since you look human. They may try you for sorcery, if they don’t condemn you for crossdressing.”

“That’s another thing that irks me, your whole species’ position on gender and sexuality! It doesn’t make any sense. Why should it matter that some man has a woman’s body, or two people of the same gender find each other attractive. How does it affect anyone other than the immediate persons?”

“You’ve got me there, guppy, been wondering the same thing for years. Though I’d advise you not to speak much of it when we get to port.”

“We’re headed for land?” Dipper inquired, face lighting up at the prospect.

“Ay, we are, need to restock on supplies, pull in some favors. We’ll also be needing a new map or so. I’m quite glad that I coded all my own maps, Gideon will have a hell of a time trying to figure out what they mean. The only place the code breaker is located, is in my safely guarded noggin,” Bill accentuated his statement by rapping his knuckles against his skull.

“Nice to know you’re so humble,” Dipper grinned at Bill.

“Why thank you, I value it as one of my greater traits.”

Dipper chuckled and rolled his eyes. “So,” he began, picking up his sword to put it away, “how long before we reach land?

“A day an half, two days at most,” Bill replied, wiping his brow. Without a moment’s hesitation he tugged the garment over his head, wadding it up and picking his sword up to put it away as well.

Dipper turned to face Bill, nearly squeaking, hands going up to cover his face. “What the heck! The sun is going to burn you! Put your shirt back on!”

“It’s hot Pine Tree, and the air feels nice. Besides, I do this all the time.”

Lowering his hands, the ex-siren glared at the pirate. “Don’t come whining to me when your skin becomes red and sore.”

Bill chuckled, “I appreciate the concern, but I’ve spent all my life under the sun, I know when I need to get some cover again. However, if it makes ye feel more comfortable, I’ll find a less sweaty shirt to adorn.”

Not one to be put down as prude, Dipper shook his head. “No, if you want to prance about naked, that’s on you. I just don’t think you’d be too pleasant sun sore and whining.”

“Aww, my little Angel Fish is worried about my comfort and safety. That just makes my meat suit all warm and squishy.”

Dipper raised a brow at the taller man, choosing not to comment and turn away from him. The sun was hot, hanging high in the sky, an indication of mid day. He took a moment to think over all that he’d been able to do in the last four days. Four days since leaving the water and becoming human. Four days he’d been away from home, from his great uncles and sister. It felt so much longer, as if he’d spent months aboard this ship rather than just a few days. The recruited fish crew were kind and helpful, able to make good use of their meager supplies. Bill complained, but made sure to thank them.

It was kind of strange, Ford had always told him that Pirates were barbaric and ungrateful, heartlessly using you for what you were worth, tossing you to the side the moment you became too much of a hassle. Ford had stressed that this particular kind of human would cut your throat for a slice of bread before even considering you were a living entity. Bill was none of these. He could be brutal, an utter jerk at some points, but he was nothing if not kind. Despite his status, Dipper found that Bill had standards. The pirate treated his temporary crew with due respect, making sure each one felt comfortable upon his ship. He conversed pleasantly with those that wanted to talk. Bill went as far as to let the fish crew serve themselves before him. Although Dipper had been able to get his feet under him without falling the second day, Bill continued to hover close enough to catch him if he fell.

It was a humbling experience, seeing such a man with great virtue. It made Dipper wonder what Bill’s life was like before he became a pirate. Bill didn’t speak about himself much, Dipper had tried to ask, but Bill always changed the subject. He only let on that his dad had been some sort of noble once, but had left for the seas without him and his mother. Dipper didn’t try to pry too much, Bill’s face always looked so pinched while he talked about his parents.

Another kindness Bill had done, was given Dipper his own quarters. They were smaller than Bill’s own, but still cozy. The first night he’d spent in them, he and Bill talked till they had dozed off. Thinking back, Dipper and Bill hadn’t spent a night apart since their agreement. He wouldn’t complain though, Bill was enjoyable to converse with. The pirate captain had so many stories he willingly shared with Dipper. Glorifying a role which had previously been basking in bad light, Bill told Dipper about all he had done as a captain.

It was entertaining, their main talks taking place in either Dipper or Bill’s quarters at night while the rest of the crew slept. Dipper had commandeered Bill’s coat, claiming he was keeping it as ransom until he could return to his mother waters. Bill grumbled about it whenever he could, trying to steal it back at every opportunity he got. It became something of a game between them, see who could hold onto the coat the longest. Dipper wrapped himself in the coat every night, grinning at Bill’s scowl when he saw it.

He watched as Bill retreated to his quarters, deciding to sit on a crate they kept on deck. The sea was relatively calm today, just a light breeze pulling them to land. Nervousness settled in Dipper’s stomach. He’d be on land, completely separated from his mother waters. Not to mention he’d be surrounded by humans, humans he didn’t know. They wouldn’t be like Bill, it would be foolish to think as much, but it worried him greatly. Just the other night Bill had told him he’d have to either dress as a woman or find some way to look more like a man, considering his species’ stand on gender. It made his stomach twist in knots of anxiety. A torrent of “what if”s running through his head.

He gripped his pants, trying to even his breathing and think of something else. Closing his eyes he tried to think of the different kinds of supernatural creatures he’d studied back in Gravity Falls. A damp cloth was pressed against his forehead, Dipper’s eyes shooting open at the contact, flinching back. Bill chuckled and pressed the cloth against the siren’s forehead again.

“You look a little pale, are you feeling okay?” Bill inquired, dabbing Dipper’s forehead.

Sighing, Dipper leaned into the cool cloth. “Yeah, I’m good, just a little tired. I had no idea that sword practice required that much exertion.”

Chuckling again, Bill rubbed down Dipper’s face, getting the dried sweat off the side of his neck as well. “It’ll get easier the more you practice, you’re learning quite quickly too.”

Dipper hummed, letting Bill lean him up a little. He was oddly persistent about maintaining hygiene. He claimed that it was important to not only stay healthy but also keep up appearances. Apparently even humans were vain when it came to their outward apparel.

“So, I’m just gonna go out on a limb and say you’re nervous, because no one gets this pale from sword practice, not unless they’re sick. I also know that you’re not sick because I’ve been making sure you stay clean,” Bill leaned against the wood of the ship by Dipper, folding the cloth and placing it on the crate next to the siren. “Want to tell your good ol’ captain what’s running amuck in that thinking sphere?”

Dipper laughed lightly, Bill was so strange. “I’m just nervous about going onto land, maybe a little scared. I’ve never left my mother waters, let alone set fin, or well, foot, on land. It’s a little overwhelming.”

Bill nodded, humming softly, “Ay, I can see that. There’s also your current body predicament. I have an idea for that one actually, picked up some needle and thread this morning to work on it, I reckon my little invention should be done by this evening.”

Looking up, Dipper gave the captain a scrutinizing look. “What do you mean?”

“Oh nothing much, just something to help people recognize you as the man you are instead of mistaking you for a female, course there will be a few prudes who’ll disregard it, but there’s a bunch in every port. Poor Kryptos often had to deal with that kind of thing, at least until he finally grew a pair,” Bill laughed.

“You speak so fondly of your crew, even though the left you,” Dipper stated, question alight in his gaze.

Bill’s pleasant expression fell and Dipper immediately felt bad. “There were a few in my crew that had been there since the beginning, near life long friends, good people. I reckon they didn’t have much of a choice when facing Gideon. The little rat has this stupid medallion, it was useful while he worked for me, but a pain in the ass when he turned against me. I’m certain he used his medallion to force them on to his side. My original crew and I had a pact we’d rather die over than break.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, it must be hard, knowing your friends were forced to turn on you.”

“You bet! Kryptos is the best navigator atop the seas, you could blindfold him and he’d know exactly where he is. Then you have Pyronica, the demolitions expert, we don’t use cannon fire often, but when we did she knew exactly what to do. Hectorgon was a snazzy fellow, probably twice my age, worked on mending any torn clothing as I’m sure you know happens quite often,” Bill gestured to Dipper’s fraying pants. “Then there’s teeth, he and 8-Ball work on the food for the ship, the two used to work in her majesty’s kitchens before being condemned and coming to my ship. You can hardly imagine how amazing their skills are.”

“Hang on,” Dipper interrupted, “are these all their real names?”

Bill barked out a laugh, clutching his stomach and bending over a bit. “Not in the slightest, here aboard the  _ Mens Scapus _ your name fits your job, or persona. Like Amorphous, pretty sure that man has double joints at every bend, he’s in charge of maintaining the rigging, a fantastic companion too. There’s 98 Faces, one of the best swindlers, never challenge him in a game of poker. Paci-Fire is a fun little guy, small, but bloodthirsty. We usually keep him for missions that involve some pretty nasty obstacles, he’s the person you’d want to train with to be an expert fighter. Although, I don’t think you’d fancy his techniques, so I guess it’s good I’m the one teachin’ ya. You’d probably like Keyhole, picked him up from an old town in Greece, an expert locksmith that one is. He has just about every key under his belt, not literally of course, can’t keep him out of anything though,” Bill winked. “Just wait till you get a load of Xanthar, the guy is borderline seven and a half feet of pure muscle. He’s also one of my oldest mates, helped me get this ship under management. Then there was Eye-Bat, that little girl has better vision than a skilled hawk, literally sleeps in the crow's nest, ‘cept when it storms of course. My original crew is made up of the best companions anyone could ask for. The rest of those idiotic slum bags I picked up later on don’t even make the scale compared to my henchmaniacs.”

“Wow, you really hold them in high regard, you haven’t talked this much about anything since your tale of battling her Majesty’s royal navy.”

“I do, laddie, I truly do. I can only hope they’ll want to return to me when I find them. I doubt Gideon will let ‘em go, probably has them under the vise of his medallion, the fool doesn’t even have natural magic. Even with their own abilities, that stupid rock and metal negates them.”

“What do you mean?”

“Pine Tree, my original crew is made up of supernatural creatures, not a one of them is a full human. Hell, Xanthar is a half giant!”

Dipper’s eyes widened with excitement and interest. “Seriously! I thought that most supernatural creatures chose not to meddle in human affairs.”

Shaking his head, Bill laughed. “Only the ones not strong enough, guppy, this ship attracts the weird and willing, some speculate that not even I am human.”

“Are you?”

“I don’t know, I’ve always figured I was human, but I’ll let mankind believe what they want, keeps them guessing. Most don’t even know what I look like,” He laughed again.

“Must make going into town easier,” Dipper giggled.

“You bet your pretty little face it does!” Bill exclaimed, stepping away from Dipper. “So, it’s just about time for lunch, I’m gonna finish that little thing I have for you. I’ll have you try it on later.” With that, Bill turned around and left, steps a little quicker than normal.

Small hands slowly reached up to cover Dipper’s flushed face.  _ Pretty _ . His mind echoed the word over and over.  _ He called me pretty _ . Pulling his knees up to his chest, the ex-siren giggled again. It was stupid, really stupid, Bill was a human and didn’t understand what was deemed pretty in siren society. Regardless of this fact, it still made Dipper jittery with happiness that Bill thought he was pretty. No one back home ever told him he was special, they were always too preoccupied with what suspicious exploration he was embarking on. It was nice, being noticed in a kind light. Dipper figured it might just be his head playing tricks on him, but he was genuinely beginning to believe Bill was special. For a human, he was certainly odd, for a pirate, he was downright strange. A puzzle, that’s what Bill was. An anomaly in a new place Dipper was eager to investigate.

“Someone looks happy,” an elderly yet unmistakably feminine voice called out to him.

Head whipping around, Dipper came face to face with one of the fish crew members. First Scale? Yes, the leader fish’s name was First Scale. “I guess I am?” He replied, more in question than anything. He’d hardly conversed with the crew at all, too shy, he figured.

“Ah yes, I know that look, won't take too long now,” the old fish said with a pleased smile.

“Um, what?” Dipper's face scrunched in confusion.

“You've probably never heard the prophecy, we do not blame you child, though you will learn eventually, perhaps now is not the time,” with that, they walked away.

Dipper thought to maybe call them back and ask what they meant, but he knew that breed. He'd have an easier time whittling away at coral than get a straight answer from First Scale. Groaning slightly, Dipper stood and headed to his cabin. Upon opening the door, a near barren room greeted him. A simple empty desk sat by a decent window, its stained glass casting a colored glow about the room. The small bed in the corner was neatly made, courtesy of Bill who insisted Dipper stayed tidy. He knew it wasn’t a whole lot, but considering all that had happened, he was immensely grateful to Bill for giving him his own space.

Walking over to the desk, Dipper opened a drawer and pulled out one of Ford’s journals. An enchanted script written on regular paper yet was able to withstand water, thus maintained just the regular wear and tear of continuous use, rather than water damage. The golden six fingered hand shone back at him, the bolded number three marking it as the third book in its series. Upon opening it, Dipper smiled, tracing the script he knew well. When he was younger, he’s studied these journals thoroughly, almost reverently, almost as if it was a religion of his. Creatures of unimaginable origin were described in detail, pictures expertly drawn and preserved.

Even though he knew each book front and back, in between and unseen, the book still brought him comfort. Mabel used to poke fun at him, saying that if the books became sentient he’d marry them. If he was being truthful then, he might have agreed. The aged pages were always a security blanket to him, wrapping him up in their tales so he could avoid the crushing reality of losing his parents so suddenly. He didn’t remember much of them, maybe a smile or two, a warm embrace, the soothing children’s lullabies. Neither he nor Mabel could recall exactly how they were told their parents were gone. It happened so suddenly. Ford had returned from over twenty years of exploration, a newfound friend and colleague in tow, as well as a fellow researcher. The twins were spending the day with their grandfather and Stan. Germie, as they’d always called him, left to check on his son and his wife, something about a strange feeling in his gut.

Grandpa Shermie never did return, and it was Ford who told them their parents were gone. Stan had yelled at Ford a lot, saying words the twins didn’t understand, hardly being four years old at the time. The town was in despair, or so they were told, they didn’t know that their parents had been so loved that the entirety of Gravity Falls mourned them. Dipper remembered crying throughout the night as Stan rocked him back and forth, crooning gently to get him to calm down and sleep with his sister. Mabel had been quiet during that time, locked in a trance of disbelief. It was an entire sun rotation later when she finally started drawing again. Dipper remembers Stan’s look of relief when she started tacking little drawings all over the wreck.

The wreck only became a thing after their parents and grandfather had passed. Apparently Stan and Ford had worked on it previously but abandoned it in favor of traveling the human realm. Stan had come home a decade earlier than Ford due to a fight that had really put a dent in their relationship. Stan always claimed it was meant to be, so that he could be there with the twins when they finally came along.

A drop of wetness landed on the page of the journal, Dipper finally realizing he was crying. Quickly wiping the tears away he sniffled. Tucking the book into his chest, he walked over to his bed and laid curled around his great uncle’s book. He missed them, even though he knew they’d be so angry. Probably already knowing he’d left. He just hoped they’d noticed he’d gone on purpose and not think he was dead. He fell asleep soon after, ignoring the feeling of hunger starting to gnaw at his stomach.

Several hours later, loud knocking at his door roused him from his sleep. Groaning, he pushed himself up, eyes squinting in the darkening room. He could feel the press of Ford’s book leave indents in his skin. The door opened and Bill swept into the room, promptly sitting right next to Dipper, drawing the boy into his arms.

“Sleep well, guppy?”

“Ymshvtissit,” Dipper grumbled out.

“What was that?” Bill chuckled.

“Yeah, must’ve, what time issit?” Dipper slurred, dropping the book and cuddling closer to Bill.

“Well, it's half an hour to dinner, you weren't at lunch because I let you sleep, so I'm assuming you're hungry.”

Dipper could feel the emptiness of his stomach, the age gnawing at his insides. He nodded in favor of a verbal answer, letting his eyes close as he slowly became more aware.

“What's this?” Bill asked, picking up the fallen book.

Cracking an eye open, it took the ex-siren a moment to recognize the cover of the book. “S’my Grunkle’s field journal, I stole it, he's gonna be mad.”

“Naughty little Pine Tree, you're going to get your wrists slapped for such a horrid act,” Bill mocked, feigning a serious attitude.

Dipper chuckled, the corners of his lips pulling up, everything seeming a bit slow around him. “You're insufferable, Bill Cipher,” he mumbled before stifling a yawn.

“Absolutely adorable, Dipper Pines, where I am obnoxious and unbearable, you are like a cuddly little cat seeking attention.”

Dipper wrinkled his nose, “Catfish are gross, Bill.”

“I wasn't talking about the fish, Pine Tree, you've yet to come into contact with what we humans call domestic cats.”

“Sounds demonic,” Dipper mumbled, wriggling out of Bill's hold and sitting up.

“Some people claim cats are demonic.”

“Are they?”

“Not likely, though I knew this one witch who had several little cats, used to sit around her as she practiced her spells, most of them went feral after she was executed. Twas a sad day among magic workers, she was a kind old woman.”

“Humans are cruel,” Dipper mumbled.

“Ay, lad, that they are. Not all of them, but a great deal are plenty cruel.”

Dipper's stomach grumbled, Bill chuckling at the reaction. Slapping his arm lightly, Dipper slid off the bed, taking the book from Bill and putting it back into the desk. Bill sat back on the bed, watching Dipper with curious eyes. Turning back, the shorter man raised a brow at him.

“What?”

“Just watching something I like, anyway,” Bill sat forward, “What's in those journals?”

Dipper shrugged, “Just my great uncle's studies from his time among humans, he mainly studied a slew of supernatural creatures, there's even a page on leviathans in journal two.”

“Wow, leviathans are inherently dangerous, I'm impressed he managed to find one and live, not many can say as much.”

“Except for you, I'm guessing?” Dipper smiled at his captain, hands placed on his hips.

“Precisely,” Bill intoned with a smirk.

“Absolutely insufferable, come on, I'm hungry,” Dipper spoke walking to Bill and tugging at his clothes to get him to move.

Bill chuckled and stood up. Dipper tugged him to the door and out of the room. Bill could hardly believe that not three days ago, this kid couldn't even walk. Now he was learning to fight with swords, leading Bill almost by the hand around his own ship. The kid was endearing, sassy and smart, curious but also cautious. If Bill was being honest, a highly unlikely occurrence, he'd say Dipper was not pirate material. The kid had a kind heart, willing to do whatever he could. Although Bill could tell there was an underlying level of savagery saddled next to that beautiful curiosity, Dipper would never let that part of himself take control.

As the two of them made it to the mess hall, Bill wondered if Dipper would be ready, or even willing, to fight. The time would come where Dipper would have to fight someone, Bill knew, this was a journey for revenge after all. Perhaps he could convince him to sit it out. The thought of someone as small and innocent as Dipper participating in a bloody pirate battle concerned him. He hated feeling concerned. Just the word reminded him of his old buddy Tad who would often convey his  _ concern _ for Bill’s line of work. Come to think of it, Bill hadn’t sent Tad a letter in a while. The man would be worried, probably taking his men out further than necessary on the off chance of spotting Bill’s ship.

Bill used to make fun of the man for becoming a lieutenant in her majesty’s royal army. Then again, the position was perfect for that square. He liked routine as opposed to the chaotic nature of sea life. In fact, it had been Tad’s departure from Bill’s crew that lead to Gideon’s entry and position. Tad was Bill’s first first mate, as well as his oldest friend and half brother. They’d met at age eight when Tad’s mother came looking for his father, only finding Bill. He’d welcomed them into the household with open arms. Bill was determined to ensure that he wouldn’t be like his father, the fact that he’d abandoned a pregnant woman was beyond him. Tad’s mother became his mother for the next four years, before passing away due to an illness she’d contracted when she had Tad. Both boys had silently cursed the system for the poor birthing conditions for the less fortunate.

It was at that point they’d had enough of the system altogether. Bill claimed his father’s ship as his own, shirking off his tutors and servants, freeing whom he could and asking only by favor if a few wished to stay. Those that did helped him make a name for himself as a trader, carrying goods across the sea and racking in a pretty good profit. It was a calm profession, a little boring at times, but it meant freedom and open air.

Bill was brought back to the present by Dipper shoving a plate of food into his hands, mocha eyes searching his own with question. “You okay?”

“Yes, yes, just got caught up in my head, reminiscing about the past and all.”

“That seems to be a common thing today, what were you remembering that was so entrancing?”

“Just how I became a Pirate, is all, it’s a fun story, perhaps I’ll tell it to you later tonight.”

Dipper gave him another questioning look, but quickly turned to his food and began to eat, humming happily at the pleasant taste. The little ex-siren had expressed his happiness over such nicely cooked meals since day one, well, two. Apparently a siren’s diet consists mainly of raw fish and clams, the occasional greens, but mostly meat. He wasn’t all that surprised, fire and water don’t exactly mix. Dinner went on in the usual silence, the fish crew eating and then cleaning, a few heading to bed and others double checking the ship for anything out of place, they were nothing if not efficient.

The captain and first mate were the last ones left in the mess hall. Both having already finished their meals but not wanting to leave the comfortable silence of the empty room. Standing after an extended period of time, Bill offered Dipper a hand. The other boy took it, letting Bill pull him up. They walked in companionable silence, hand in hand, both lost in their own minds. The silence was only broken as they entered Bill’s quarters and the door closed. Dipper began giggling, letting go of Bill’s hand in favor of clutching his stomach.

“I-I think that tha-that’s the longest we’ve gone wi-without talking!” He laughed out. “That was so weird, oh my sweet mother waters!”

Bill cracked a smile and chuckled as well, “Indeed, now, do you want to see what I slaved away all day for?”

Dipper only nodded as Bill walked over to his desk, picking up an off-white piece of fabric, it had little strips hanging off of it as well. It looked like a cotton rug, though the material looked a great deal sturdier than cotton. Cocking his head, Bill’s first mate gave him a questioning look.

“So, you probably are lost on the concept of a corset.”

“I have no idea what that is,” Dipper admitted.

“So a corset is essentially supposed to make a woman look thinner and accentuate her chest and bosom. This is kind of a reverse corset. It’ll go over your chest and we’ll lace it to bind your breasts and kind of flatten them, it will probably be uncomfortable, but you won't’ have to wear it too long. It’s thin enough that if you wear something loose over it no one will notice,” Bill spoke, trying to keep his voice even as Dipper stared at the reverse-corset. Bill nervously shifted from foot to foot as Dipper wordlessly stared at the fabric. Bill’s smile faltered and he began to lower it. “You don’t have to use it, it was a stupid idea, I shouldn’t have-”

“No!” Dipper interrupted, “It looks great, I just, I’m still a little confused, how does it work?”

Another nervous grin split Bill’s face. “Well, the easiest way to learn is by showing you, do you want to try it on?” He lifted it again.

Dipper nodded, reaching for his shirt and untucking it from his pants. Bill looked away on instinct, something nagging at him about how inappropriate this was. Probably his old schooling, those snobbish tutors always berated him for his curious nature. Especially when he’d accidently stumbled into the maid's’ quarters while they were dressing. He can still remember the utter shock and horror on the womens’ faces as a nine year old literally fell into the room. It was odd to Bill, how deeply he respected Dipper.

The ruffling of fabric ceased and Dipper stood topless, his shirt balled up in his hands. He watched Bill expectantly, eyes shining with nervous curiosity. Bill approached him almost cautiously, nervously biting his lower lip.

“Arms up, Pine Tree, I need to wrap this around you.”

Dipper obeyed without question, arms raised just above his head, clenching the shirt in anticipation. Reaching around him, Bill wrapped the reverse-corset around the boy’s chest. The edges of the cloth didn’t touch, which was perfect, the laces would be able to adjust it perfectly that way. The captain reached over and lowered Dipper’s arms over the fabric, loosely securing it so he could tie it. He pulled as gently as he could to lace it up, pulling the strings together and tying them. Dipper grunted and gasped once when Bill tugged too hard, the pirates face aflame the entire time. Once he was finished lacing it up, Bill smoothed it down, hands nearly ghosting along Dipper’s sides.

Taking it as he cue to turn, Dipper faced Bill with a small flushed smile. “So? Do I look at least a little more manly?” He asked, hand lifting to his chest.

Bill looked over him, chest flattened, if he wore loose clothes no one would recognize that he didn’t have a male body. Bill couldn’t do much for the hips, but over all, no one would notice. “Very manly, guppy, you’ll make many men jealous,” He replied with a wide smile.

Dipper beamed, eyes squinting with the force of his grin. In a moment, the ex-siren’s arms were wrapped around his torso, a head covered in fluffy brown locks buried into his chest. “Thank you so much!” Dipper’s voice was filled with genuine gratitude.

“Of course, Angel Fish, anything for my first mate,” Bill spoke with quiet acceptance, gently patting Dipper's back.

The smaller man stepped away, the large smile still plastered on his flushed face. “You were right though, it’s really constricting,” he patted his chest again, huffing out a laugh.

“That it is, Dipper, that it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to a few faithful commentors who asked so kindly, I gave you what you asked for. It's not Stan, Ford, or Mabel, sorry, but it is semi important in that it will lead up to crucial events in the future. Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment if you liked this chapter, or if you didn't, what am I lacking?  
> And look, I even took the time to put art in it!


	9. Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pirates were not within the law, as was their own code of conduct. They had their own rules, a form of governing amongst themselves. None would intervene, he knew as much. Gideon was also fairly new to the world of pirates, he’d had hardly any semblance of respect among the others, a child in their eyes.

Dipper had taken off the reverse-corset, name now binder, because it was more like a binding so the name made sense. They’d slept in Bill’s room, Dipper tucked under the man’s arm, foregoing the sweat dried shirt. Although the days on  _ Mens Scapus  _ were hot and encouraged one to strip down as much as possible, the opposite could be said about the nights. Dipper had figured it was just the earth making its normal turns, their little section of the planet receiving a short reprieve from the sun’s unforgiving rays. The respite from the morning star was good for the earth, but not exactly welcomed to those inhabiting it and having to deal with the lack of warmth. Dipper complained about it enough that Bill eventually swung his arm over his first mate and told him to pipe down and let their own body heat do its job.

Neither would admit that it was more than warmth they were seeking. Contact was something that helped a siren thrive. Many nights he’d spent pressed against Mabel in an effort to feel all the relation and comfort she could offer. In the beginning of their permanent residence in Stan and Ford’s wreck, what little was left of the family would often crowd together at night, inadvertently comforting each other. Dipper missed it sorely now, even if it had only been five days. He often found himself reaching out for contact of any sort his captain offered to him. Bill complained the first day, but now complied to the odd cuddle intervals that cut into his day’s schedule.

Physical contact among humans was more often than not a sign of intimacy and relation, a commitment and promise. Bill didn’t do commitment. He often complained to his brother that it was a waste of effort to get into a relationship that would inevitably turn sour. Tad would stay oddly silent, letting him bitch and moan over such a trivial topic that concluded every kind of intimacy Bill pursued. Choosing to stay away from it seemed easy for Tad, the man had peculiar tastes and no one they’d ever met fit the criteria, so he’d resigned himself to a life of comfortable solitude. If asked, he’d say it didn’t bother him, but Bill could see he longed for someone. Bill figured he’d never know who, so when he could he’d show his brother he cared. Whether is was laying with Tad’s mother as she mended material, or sparing in the courtyard under any kind of weather. He missed him sorely, he wondered if Tad felt the same.

Morning brought forth rays of light that seeped through the stained windows and pervaded the captain’s room. Bill stirred into wakefulness first, as had become routine after years at sea. He lingered in bed as the siren turned human slept on, mouth slightly agape as he breathed evenly. The captain stood by all his previous statements, Dipper was indeed an angel from the sea, a gift from the heavens. If he was a man of scholar he would wax poetic over how beautiful this little man was.

Dipper’s arms were tucked into his chest, pinned between their bodies as he slept easily. Lifting his arm, Bill brushed his thumb over Dipper’s bare shoulder, tracing the little freckles that dotted his pale skin. He wondered how the boy managed to attain freckles so far under the surface, but he’d chalked it up to some sort of residue of scales. They accented his face well, giving Dipper an even more youthful look.

Glancing up at the rising sun, Bill figured it was time to rouse the boy, there were things they needed to discuss, like their plans. They were reaching land in record time, and he wanted to be sure Dipper was ready to enter port. The kid was clearly nervous, often biting his lip and nails rather obsessively, eyes glazed over as he worried about what could happen at the port among humans. Bill wouldn’t let on too much, but he worried as well. He knew how cruel his species could be, the horrible and vile acts they were capable of. He’d witnessed quite a few of them first hand, the unbidden malice a man used as a weapon of pain and destruction. Even if he was no model citizen, he’d tried to veer his darker tendencies away from the innocent.

Bill was by no means a good person, he’d killed many men over seemingly small blights. He had ordered the deaths of entire ships, been at the front line of battle and cut down anyone that stood in his way. He lied and cheated, bartered and gambled. He could describe in vivid detail what it was like to smash a man’s face in with the handle of a gun. There was a part of Bill, so dark and twisted, that he left unchecked simply because it was that part that made him who he was. That same part of him seemed to slumber in Dipper’s presence, as if it knew that the kid would leave for good if it surfaced. It worried him. At times it downright scared him. Bill was angry, it was in his nature to be so. Justice needed to be served, even if others deemed what had been done to him a form of justice.

Pirates were not within the law, as was their own code of conduct. They had their own rules, a form of governing amongst themselves. None would intervene, he knew as much. Gideon was also fairly new to the world of pirates, he’d had hardly any semblance of respect among the others, a child in their eyes. It angered Bill a great deal that he was probably using Bill’s “defeat” to gain a name for himself among so many of his “colleagues”. The joke would be on him though, because so many either didn’t care, or respected Bill. Either way, if Gideon had truly based his name on Bill’s defeat, it would all come crashing down the moment Bill chose to make himself known. A sweet justice, but still not enough for what the rodent deserved.

Nudging Dipper gently, Bill sat up, His bones cracked as he stretched, arms extending as if they wanted to claw at the canopy of the bed. Dipper groaned and curled around Bill’s side, mumbling something incoherent into the sheets he was pressing his face into. Chuckling, Bill ran a hand through Dipper’s hair and grimaced. The kid definitely needed a wash, a good long one at that.

“Hey kid, the sun is rising, time to get ready for tomorrow morning,” Bill nudged him again.

“Too early, the sun's barely risen, go back to sleep,” Dipper mumbled.

Rolling his eyes rather childishly, Bill prodded Dipper's sides. “Come on guppy, time to rise and start the day. We have sword practice, not to mention preparations for port.”

Dipper mumbled again but turned his head and cracked an eye open, his brows knitting together, making a dent between them. It came off more cute than annoying. “Just a little longer, please?” He asked in a voice heavy laden with sleep. Bill had no doubt that he could easily fall back asleep.

“Sorry Angel Fish, but when the sun rises, so do we,” Bill responded as he slipped off the bed and away from Dipper, who made a grabbing motion as the captain’s warmth began to leave him.

“Noooo~” He groaned, slipping over to the edge, the word still tumbling from his mouth in a whine. Falling to the floor with a thunk, he pulled the blanket down with him, rolling over and getting wrapped up in the fabric.

Bill laughed at the sight of the young man on the floor, he seemed like such a child at times, it was almost endearing. There he went again, the captain winced at the thought, this kid was a bad influence on his true nature. It was about time he cracked down on this. Walking over to the whining bundle on the floor, Bill bent down and roughly picked Dipper up, tossing him easily onto the bed before ripping the sheets away.

“Come on, Pine Tree, we have more than just sword practice today! There’s preparations to be made, a wardrobe situation that needs to be fully addressed, and most importantly, a bath, you’re beginning to smell,” Bill spoke, listing off the very basis of the day’s schedule. Pulling Dipper into a sitting position he laughed again at the boy’s pinched face.

“Hate you.”

“Aw, now you’re the one hurting me, Pine Tree, I’m just trying to get you moving, we’re going to be far busier on later dates, better start getting used to rising early and get going.”

“Fantastic,” Dipper intoned sarcastically, his voice losing some of the sleep as his body began to fully wake up. “Is there a specific reason why we have to rise early every morning?” He groused.

“I’ve found that having a tenacious schedule allows one to be prepared, you know what to do and when, and the times nothing is scheduled is a time for whatever tickles your fancy. It’s also easier to notice something’s amiss if the schedule changes.”

Dipper sent him a confused squint, “You've lost me, my mind isn't ready to comprehend anything other than snuggles and food, speaking of which.”

Bill chuckled and held out a hand to Dipper who gladly took it. Tugging a bit hard, he pulled Dipper up and out of the bed, tucking him into his side for a brief hug. Thin arms squeezed his side before falling away as dipper stepped back. He looked around the tidy room, a small frown claiming his face in the realization his shirt wasn’t there. Soft brown eyes turned to Bill in question and the pirate chuckled.

“It needs to be washed, guppy, no crew member of mine is going to trounce around in old sweaty clothes, especially not my first mate.”

Dipper mumbled something unintelligible under his breath, crossing his arms over his chest and raising his brows at the captain. Bill laughed and walked over to a chest at the foot end of the bed, opening it and pulling out a faded blue top and tossing it at Dipper. The ex-siren pulled it over his head, rolling his shoulders as the fabric almost swallowed his frame. Bill suppressed a snicker and closed the chest, standing and heading for the door. Dipper followed without a word, fuming silently at the unspoken ribbings Bill was surely rattling off in his head.

The kid was akin to a freshly baked, soft, sweet pastry, it was too good a fact to let slip by. Bill was determined to show Dipper why he spoke of him as such, but later, port was still a ways away.  _ Mens Scapus _ was undoubtedly faster than she was before, whether it was Dipper’s magic, or just Bill taking notice, they were making headway in better time than even her majesty’s warships. He couldn’t help but wonder how long this would all last, when everything went down, what would really happen, these thoughts settled uneasily in his stomach.

Breakfast went rather quickly, Dipper a great deal more spritely after fully waking, almost pulling Bill onto the deck for sword practice. He envied the smaller man’s energy, he’d been feeling sapped of it for the last two nights, probably from all the negative thinking worming its way into his being. Sword practice came and went rather quickly, Dipper managing a few good hits before calling for respite, Bill granted him that willingly, wanting to mull over what was to occur at port.

One reason for stopping was to restock, that was priority number one, but Bill also needed to ask around for a few things. He needed to know how far news had traveled of his little tiff with Gideon. There was also the quest of getting Dipper fitted for decent clothing, another top priority, Bill was serious about keeping up appearances. There was also that one family he would need to pay a visit to, may as well do it now, see how they were faring before cutting ties permanently.

Sitting in his room, Bill mulled over what his course of action would be, how long they would stay before leaving, and what visiting his… charges would be. The man grimaced, rubbing at his face as he contemplated what he would do. He didn’t want to subject Dipper to this family, but he also didn’t want the young man to leave his sight. The thought left a rancid feeling in his stomach, he imagined that if it was physical pain it would be tearing holes in its lining. Glancing out the window, he noted that the day was already drawing to a close, his mind no more made up than it was four days ago. Rubbing his face again, he sat back in his chair, leaning away from his cluttered desk. Cringing at its unkempt apparel, Bill decided to tackle that first.

Smoothing out his shirt, he started putting things back into drawers, reorganizing his desk's contents. They would go out and purchase supplies once at port, make sure that they had enough rations and such. He could probably get some extra coins from the family he would have to visit, so that would be the first thing. As much as he disliked it, it would probably be smart to leave Dipper with them for the day, less of a chance to get lost or overwhelmed, and the family was nice enough in their own way. He’d then be able to purchase whatever they would need, maybe get his crew something nice for all their hard work. After that, he would pick Dipper up and take him to get fitted.

It seemed simple enough, it would work to, Bill figured he would just ask Dipper his opinion on it whenever the kid decided to join him. For whatever reason, Bill didn’t know if it was him or Dipper, but they spent every night together. He didn’t say anything on it, allotting Dipper his own space for the inevitable separation. Dipper had expressed a siren’s need for tender contact, that it kept them sane in the constant currents of the vast ocean. The thought that Dipper trusted Bill enough to want to be close to him, that it was Bill’s contact that made Dipper feel safe, gave Bill an odd feeling.

Being called “insane” or “freak” as a constant often drives one to believe as much, and Bill had never done anything that would speak otherwise. At least, not until Dipper, and it was honestly beginning to drive him a little further into insanity. People don’t change just because of events like the one he’d gone through.  _ They do _ . Bill flinched at his mind. It certainly has been a while.  _ Too long, too traumatic, it is pointless to deny that recent events have affected you _ . Growling in his throat, Bill shut the last drawer roughly.  _ There is no need for violence, you are safe right now, the monster within you needs rest too, they have been active for so long _ .

“What do you want?” Bill whispered, everything around him seemingly quiet compared to the ethereal voice in his head.

_ I have given you a reprieve of me, as you have given yourself one too. I am just here to remind you that you are not alone _ . The voice spoke in volumes, always in a distorted warble, the pitch dipping every so often. At age twelve was when he’d first experienced this voice, barely above a whisper as it told him he’d be safe. It told him what he was capable of, one of the catalysts of his journey in becoming a pirate. Keeping him alive, it also caused problems. He figured that a near death experience might dispel its blight upon his life.  _ As long as you need me, I will not depart from you, as I have told you in the past near decade. You know that you can not dampen the beast without me, they would consume you _ .

Bill groaned, letting his head fall into his cupped hands. “Please just be quiet, you came from nowhere, I want you to stay away,” he whispered into his palms.

_ As you wish, the boy is approaching the door. Remember William, secrets are the seeds of destruction, denial is their soil, and avoidance their water. Do not send this one away, he is good for you _ . The pressure in his mind lifted just as a series of soft knocks sounded against his door.

“Come in, Pine Tree.”

The door opened swiftly, Dipper entering with a bright smile on his face. Bill was immediately reminded of his determination to give Dipper a bath. Funny how small occurrences make one remember things they had previously forgotten. The young man swept into the room and leaned against the desk, a hand going to trace the map ingrained into the wood. Resisting the urge to reach over and grab his hand away from the enchanted desk, Bill looked up at him.

“To what pleasure do I owe this visit?” Bill asked, trying to keep his voice even.

“Just wanted to know if there was anything else we needed to go over tonight.”

Bill nodded, “There are a few things, like getting you washed up.” Bill's brows knit in thought, “You won't go fish on me if we dunk you in fresh water, will you?”

Dipper chuckled, “No, I won't, only if I am returned to my mother waters will I be able to return to my true form.” He looked over to a clear jar sitting on Bill's desk. Were those his…? He reached over and grabbed it, pulling it over to him. “You kept my scales?” The question was quiet, Dipper's voice growing timid.

“I, yes, your scales. They, I like them,” Bill stuttered out.

“Strange, I figured they might have fallen apart, or perhaps just melded into the skin I have now. I don't know much about the magic behind transformation.”

It really intrigued Bill, did all sirens shed their scales upon leaving their mother waters? “Either way, I really like them, perhaps I will find some use for your scales other than keeping them in an old jar.”

Dipper only nodded, handing the jar back to Bill who took it gingerly. The captain stood and walked over to one of his shelf units, depositing the jar in an almost empty space, shuffling a few things around so it wouldn’t fall. Fiddling with the hem of his shirt, Dipper watched Bill awkwardly shuffle back over to him.

“Are you alright? You seem a little out of it,” He commented lightly, worry worming its way into his gut.

Bill looked up and flashed him a large grin, showing off too many pearly whites. “I’m just peachy, Pine Tree, a little lost in thought, but that’s because I am deciding the course of action for tomorrow. Speaking of which, after you bathe I’d like to go over it with you.”

Inwardly shuddering at the odd grin, Dipper folded his arms over his chest. “Okay, so, how exactly does one bathe?” His cheeks tinted in the embarassment of having to ask.

Bill only chuckled and shook his head. “It is simple, I’ll help you out just this once, as I’m sure you’ll not want me there longer than I have to be.”

 

The captain was right in assuming Dipper didn’t want him there any longer than he deemed absolutely necessary. It was honestly one of the most humiliating experiences. Dipper honestly contemplates the integrity of his decision to leave the water. Bill expressed to him the need for cleanliness due to the constant airborne bacteria, as well as dirt and grime and sweat.  _ Humans are absolutely disgusting _ . Dipper thinks bitterly as he huddles in the large wooden basin to scrub at his arms and legs. Every now and then he can hear Bill’s snickering on the other side of the door. The jerk decided to stay close enough should Dipper require any sort of assistance. If he wasn’t the only real human on board as well as a friend, Dipper might throttle him.

As it was, Bill was the reason he managed to get as far as he was, probably farther than he’d even hoped. The captain was kind enough in his own way, mischievous and devilish, but over all he was genuine. Fundamentally, Bill didn’t need Dipper, he could just as easily get a different temporary crew, one more suited to this strain of work. He also didn’t have to make Dipper his first mate, or give him his own room, or continue talking with him as though they were old friends. Not to mention the sleeping arrangements. It was genuinely starting to concern Dipper just how easily he was able to adjust to everything.

He had always been a fast learner, exceeding in all courses of study. He figured it was because of who taught him accompanied by his interest in the courses as well. This was different, Dipper wasn’t just interested in the human world, he was interested in the species to be found there as well. It made him uneasy, would he get along with all humans the same as he does with Bill? Their social constructs varied on different levels and seemed to match on others, but to what extent? Was this “relationship” with Bill normal? Dipper could pull up a list of reasons that he shouldn’t get involved. He could also easily ignore each of those reasons.

Knocking on the door pulled Dipper from his thoughts, “You okay in there, guppy?”

“Yeah, I’m almost done, you humans are filthy!” Dipper snarked.

Bill chuckled but didn’t continue talking, Dipper figured he was clean enough and stood to give himself a once over. He grimaced at his chest, but to his credit, didn’t dwell on it. The water was beginning to cool, no longer laying in the sun to warm. He had scrubbed his body down and washed his hair, and experience he hadn’t had till now. It made his stomach a little queasy, knowing that it was a human thing, he wasn’t a human. He shouldn’t like the feeling of being one, but every day he felt just a little more liberated. No longer did the earth’s gravity feel like it was crushing him. The wind felt blissful every day. The smells of the ocean were natural to him, but there was so much more above the water. Bill had told him stories of other things that he’d yet to experience. He loved it, being human, and that’s what made him nervous.

Awkwardly stepping out of the basin, Dipper grabbed the large sheet of fabric from the chair Bill had dragged in and wrapped it around his shoulders. Water droplets hit the floor and slid along the polished wood, Dipper toed them without much thought. Thinking was good only when the topic didn’t cause major inner turmoil. Reaching the door, he gripped the handle and opened it, sticking his head out to find Bill leaning against the wall next to it.

“Ah, so how was your first bath, Pine Tree?”

“Demeaning, you could have warned me before you started undoing my pants, you dolt.”

Snickering, Bill pushed away from the wall and opened the door further. “You wouldn’t have done it on your own, not if we weren’t in our quarters,” Bill winked.

Dipper slapped his arm, glaring at the taller man who only laughed aloud, a deep red blush overcoming the ex-siren’s face. “Let’s just get back to the room, old man.”

Scoffing, Bill lead them to his quarters, “I’m not old, I am hardly over twenty and one years, besides, you’re only old if you’ve accepted defeat and gone gray.”

Giggling Dipper smirked, “Thanks for informing me of your age, William, wisdom truly does come with age.”

Bill blanched, “You sly seafaring dog, here I was thinking you didn’t have the nerve to con someone for information.”

Dipper fell into a fit of barking laughter, “Are you ki-kidding!? I grew up with a conman! One of the greatest this side of the globe! I could con my way out of death if I needed to,” he boasted as he shook droplets of water from his hair.

Lifting a hand, Bill tried to shield himself from the flying water, “Nice to know, we’ll make a fine pirate out of you yet.”

“Yeah, sure, maybe, now where are my clothes so I can get dressed. I don’t like being so exposed and you’re not so subtle with your gaze, perve.”

“I am wounded. The moment you start growing a pair and you chew me out on my own morality. I’m honestly offended!”

“I have no idea what the phrase ‘grow a pair’ means,” Dipper dead panned.

“I’m basically stating that you’re starting to man up a bit, bite back, you’re not letting anyone lead you by the nose around,” Bill stated, reaching into the chest to pull out a change of clothes for the ex-siren.

“Oh, thanks then?” Dipper caught the clothes as Bill threw them at him, the towel slipping from his shoulders.

“Ai! Vous êtes devenu indécent, mes pauvres yeux!” Bill yelled, mocking a fearful expression as he threw his arms over his eyes.

“I have absolutely no clue what you just said,” Dipper spoke, quickly slipping on the shirt and pulling up the trousers.

“You’ve tainted my sight, sin has been committed!”

Dipper rolled his eyes, picking up the sheet of fabric and tossing it at Bill. “As if you haven’t done worse, your kind aren’t known for their morality, Cipher.”

“I’ve been degraded to a last name basis? Now I know you’re trying to end me! Strip me of my virtues and then drag me down into the depths of the sea.”

“Not interested, old man, your virtues are long gone, and if anyone is trying to wreck another here, it’s you,” Dipper huffed, rubbing a hand through his hair.

Bill reached over and ruffled the damp locks, “You know I’m only joking, right? Now is not the time for pleasures of the body, and I’m still pretty sure you’re only fifteen.”

Ducking away from Bill’s hand, Dipper covered his forehead with his own hand. “Please don’t, and I’m older than fifteen, you think I would have gone with you willingly if I was that young?”

Bill blinked at him, raising his hands in a defensive position. “Alright, hair is a no, and if you’re not fifteen then how old are you? You can’t be any older than sixteen, you still have the face of a child.”

Brushing his bangs as low as possible, Dipper looked to Bill, eyes holding concern. “I’m seventeen, I’ll be eighteen by the end of the next moon cycle, towards the end of the warm season.”

Bill paled a little, hand coming up to his mouth as his brows rose. “Still a bit too young to be running away from home, though I suppose I’m being a hypocrite if I berate you for it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I was only a boy of twelve when I departed from land to pursue a life at sea.”

It was Dipper’s turn to blanch, “Y-you became a pirate when you were twelve!?”

Bill laughed, his head rolling back, “N-no!” He choked on another chuckle, “I became a pirate at around your age, before that I worked as a merchant, carrying goods from port to port with a crew made up of old servants.”

“Servants? You came from a wealthy family?”

“Yes, I did, but it was never the kind of life I wanted, and destiny knew where I needed to be.”

“You believe in destiny?”

“I believe that every decision leads to a certain outcome, every man has a chance for greatness as well as a destitute life. There are some who are given roles to play and others are catalysts. I like the thought of being able to choose my path, but I also know that there are greater forces at work in the world.”

Falling back onto the bed, Dipper seemed to be contemplating his response. “I suppose it makes sense, my people generally choose not to believe in destiny or prophecy, but there are a few who maintain a sort of trust in fate.”

“Right,” Bill answered, eyes flitting over to the stained glass of the large window, the waning light dancing along the water. “So, before we head to get supper, I’d like to inform you of tomorrow's plans.” Bill turned back to face Dipper.

The boy sat a little straighter, eyes focusing intently on the captain. “What time tomorrow are we going to reach port?”

“Early morning, and I have quite a few errands to cover, which is why I need to ask you some things. There are going to be a lot of people at port, a lot of biased humans with grabby hands and sticky fingers. I have a contact there, a nice family who wouldn’t mind housing you while I take care of some business. Many people in that town owe me favors, but it will take a lot of work to get them all to agree, you’re right to assume that humans are disgusting. While I take charge of whatever deals need to be made, you can make small talk with the people there. No chance of you getting lost or into uncomfortable situations. After any deals that need to be made, I’ll go and get you fitted for some proper clothes.”

Dipper’s expression flitted from to concern, to fear, to apprehension, to an almost neutral expression. “You’re going to leave me at some stranger’s home?” His voice was small as he asked the question.

“It’s the most logical option, I don’t want to leave you alone, but the people I’m going to be bartering with don’t end with prices concerning money. You know who you are, I know that too, but these men will not. You’re still technically a minor, even if they don’t believe as much. You’ll be safer with this family, they aren’t bad people and will take care of you until I can get back.”

Drawing his knees up to his chin, Dipper gave him a wide-eyed and frightened expression. “Why are humans so terrible?” His voice betrayed his trembling chin.

Walking over, Bill sat down next to him and pulled him into a hug. “That’s a question scholars have sought an answer to for centries. It is honestly disgusting, the state humans live in, s’kinda why I prefer the sea. Somehow my ship’s cleanlier than most towns.”

“That’s disgusting.”

“Yeah, but I have to admit it makes my job a little easier when you can liken them to swine stewing in their own filth. I can’t tell you how many men I’ve shot because of the disrespect towards their fellow people. Everyone should have at least a few morales, it’s what  _ makes _ us human,” Bill tried to emphasize, rubbing Dipper’s shoulder.

A bitter chuckle escaped Dipper’s throat, “I guess.”

“Think you’ll survive a simple family of corpse dressers without me for one day?”

Dipper’s head shot up and whipped around to stare at Bill. “Wh-what!?”

Bill laughed at Dipper’s wide-eyes expression. “This family I know, I saved them from a rogue witch who was reanimating corpses. They work at a cemetery and dress the deceased for burial.”

“That's an actual job?”

“Yep, and they're surprisingly chipper for such a grim subject.”

“Did you just-” Bill waggled his eyebrows at Dipper, effectively cutting him off. “Insufferable!”

“Come on, now that we’ve agreed let’s go get some food. Now i can eat without knots ruining the meal.” Bill stood up, offering a hand to Dipper. With an eye roll, he took the hand and followed Bill to the mess hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating last week, but you were given two chapters the previous week and I really needed time to finish this chapter. I ended up splitting this one to keep it from getting too long _and_ so I could get this posted on time. As you can probably tell, it's a filler chapter to bring forth a few more plot points and hopefully get you asking more questions. Let me know how you think it's going!


	10. The Dress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kidnapped people were locked into a room, as if they were livestock. Memories of the horrid stench and wall splattered with viscera still make him sick. It was then he’d figured out just exactly what had happened, and the terrible location of the town built atop the one that came before it.

The night was uneventful, both pirate and siren retiring to the captain’s quarters with hardly any small talk. Dipper’s mind was muddled with thoughts of what the morning would bring. He lay awake long after Bill’s breaths evened, letting his eyes stay closed as his mind wandered. By the time he was actually drifting off, he could tell it wouldn’t be too long before Bill would shake him back into wakefulness. Curling further into Bill’s side he finally succumbed to the darkness of sleep.

Bright light filtered into the room when Dipper woke again. It was certainly past the normal time Bill would have forcefully removed him from the sheets, if the late morning rays were anything to go by. He sat up quickly, looking around for any sign of Bill and finding none. The thump of his heart beat in his ears as he stumbled from the bed to pull on a pair of ill-fitted shoes.  _ Bill wouldn’t leave me, would he? _ Dipper’s mind raced.  _ He wouldn’t head to port and leave me alone on the ship. _ Dipper looked out the large stain glass window, there were other boats around them, he could also feel that the ship was no longer in motion. Racing to the door he flung it open, promptly running right into Bill, successfully knocking the air out of him.

“Whoa there, Pine Tree!” Bill steadied Dipper, grinning down at the frazzled teen.

“You didn’t wake me! I was worried you’d left me here!” Dipper cried, grabbing hold of Bill’s shirt.

“You didn’t get to sleep till late last night, I could practically feel your unease. Figured you deserved some real rest so I let you sleep, was just on my way to wake you now. As you can see, we’ve docked.” Bill grabbed Dipper’s hands and uncurled them from his shirt.

“Oh, thank you,” Dipper mumbled, stepping away from the captain and taking back his hands. “I just, I was worried, sorry.”

“No need to apologize, I understand the initial fear of abandonment, even if it seems irrational in full perspective.”

“Yeah, it does kind of seem stupid, and I couldn’t really fault you if you decided to head out without me, you have your own agenda.”

“Yes, but you’re a part of that agenda, as my first mate I take what you say into consideration, your opinion matters to me, Pine Tree, any decisions I make should also be thought over by you. After all, every one can make mistakes, even a being of perfection like me.”

“Narcissist,” Dipper snickered. “Thank you, for being considerate.”

“Of course, Pine Tree, but don’t get used to it, I’m not a naturally nice person and I don’t intend on staying completely civil.”

“I kind of figured as much, you’re too nice for a person who knowledgeably defies the law and kills people with no guilt.”

“Yup!” Bill popped the last syllable, smirking down at Dipper. “Come on, figured you could have breakfast in town before I drop you off.”

“Wait, really? We’re going on land  _ now _ ?”

“Why wait any longer? Most of the crew has already gone out to check things out, noon isn’t for another little while, plenty of time to cash in favors.”

Dipper’s heart picked up speed, a large smile overcoming his face. “Let’s go!” He turned and walked back into Bill’s room, retrieving the binder from the chest. “Help me out with this?”

With a smile Bill slipped into the room, taking the binder from Dipper as the smaller man shucked off his wrinkled shirt. He lifted his arms and Bill pulled it around him and fastened the ties, making sure that Dipper could still breathe well enough. Satisfied with it, Dipper pulled his shirt back over his head. He spun around once, arms out as he looked to Bill for approval. With a smile, Bill nodded and Dipper grinned back at him.

“Ready to head out now?”

“Absolutely! I want to see if human town are worth while.”

“Maybe not towns, but cities are pretty nice, though if you want a spectacular experience I’d say visit Tortuga, perhaps Jamaica. We can visit those after we’ve done what we came here for, perhaps that time can help you get better attuned to the life of a pirate.”

Dipper snorted, “Shooting down my hopes and dreams so quickly, dragging me down to remind me what exactly you plan on turning me into, how cruel.”

“Pirate.” Bill gestured to himself. “Besides, if you plan on sticking with me, you need to learn how to hold your own against anyone who might want to cause you harm. I mean it when I said I’m not a good man, I won’t always be around to watch out for you, no matter if I choose to or not.”

Rolling his eyes, Dipper made his way past Bill. “Well then, this should be an ideal day to do just that.”

“I suppose, just be careful Pine Tree, I’d advise you not to leave the house without supervision, but since I won’t be there, I will not know. I do, however, trust you to make the right decisions.”

“Wow, you actually trust me? I thought it would take you longer to do as much.”

“You trust me, I know you do, and I’d advise you not to, but I like being trusted regardless of any form of consequence. I trust you because you could have killed me, let me die, but you didn’t.”

Dipper turned back to give Bill a genuine smile. “Then I guess we have mutual trust, does that make this a friendship or partnership?”

“I don’t see why it can’t be both, after all, your company is quite enjoyable and so far you’re about a thousand times better a first mate than Gideon ever was. You also have a cuter face, and manners minus the anger management, not to mention you’re genuine and not some snake that hides behind a mask of lies.”

“I’m glad you think so highly of me, but I really want to go out, I’m hungry and I want to see the town, so let’s go!” Dipper grabbed Bill’s hand, pulling him from the room and over to the board walk onto the dock.

Bill ended up being the one to lead Dipper to a small shop that served an array of strange dishes that Dipper thoroughly enjoyed. The two of them ate in comfortable companionship, Bill often commenting on little quirks about the shop or the history of the town. Cracking a few jokes he managed to get Dipper to almost snort water from his nose, the ex-siren slapping his arm in retribution.

“You know, Pine Tree, they say this entire town was built on a field of corpses. A whole lot of supernatural activity occurs here due to the sheer amount of desecrated graves. About every few years the dead rise up in an attempt to rid their resting site of the living. Usually during festivals, because that’s when people literally dance on their graves!” Bill laughed.

“That’s terrible! Why don’t they just relocate their resting sites?”

“Eh, humans are lazy, they’d rather tremble in fear every few years as opposed to actually solving the problem. However, by the looks of things, they haven’t been attacked for some time.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I visited this town for the first time about five years back, a good chunk of the town was in shambles and I stayed long enough to imbue it with some magic and take down the most recent horde of the living dead. Apparently I wasn’t the first, twenty years prior to that some blokes had done the same but never came back to renew any of the enchantments. Quite a surprise in my opinion, though this town is pretty open to magical assistance as it’s the only thing keeping them safe from the things that go bump in the night.”

“Wow, so you renewed the spells for them?”

“Pretty much, kind of the reason so many patrons owe me, I saved their asses so now I own their souls, technically speaking anyway,” Bill grinned and winked at Dipper.

“That’s… kind of creepy, Bill. You don’t actually take their souls, do you?”

“Not unless they don’t pay me back,” Bill spoke straight faced and serious, staring down at Dipper’s shocked expression for a few moments. Dipper broke eye contact and Bill began laughing. “I’m joking, Pine Tree, I’ve never actually taken a soul. That’s demon work, and also heavily immoral. I’d like to think I still have a small lot in some level of heaven. The only soul I’d ever consider taking is Gideon’s, and I don’t think I’d want to taint myself with holding his disgusting life force.”

“Don’t do that, jokes about someone’s soul are terrible. There are actual spells that require as much as a human soul. It’s some pretty dark stuff and it’s not just demons who work with it. My great uncle used to tell me stories of humans who destroyed themselves in spells that they’d killed people to accomplish, they were no longer human.”

Bill lifted his hands up, smile falling from his face. “Wow, okay, I won’t mess with that then, not that I was ever really planning on dabbling in the dark side of magic. I agree that it is some pretty nasty and dangerous material. There’s old folklore about humans turning into creatures due to magic gone wrong, they state that those first ones are the mothers and fathers of all evil creatures. Like wendigos, creatures of incredible strength and speed, cold to the touch and quite vicious. The story states that they were once humans who consumed the flesh of their fellow man in an attempt to either survive or absorb the other human’s abilities. Then there are stories of man becoming demonic through the devouring of souls instead of flesh. All stories are pretty gruesome and usually involve some sort of ritual turning sour.”

“Exactly, I think a few of those stories are written in my great uncle’s books...” Dipper trailed off, turning from Bill to stare off at nothing as he thought.

“Yes, well, if you’ll let me, I’d like to take a look at those books sometime, they seem rather interesting,” Bill stood and pushed his chair in. “Now, I have a few favors to cash, we’ll stop by the ship real quick for a few things before I leave you with that family.” He tossed some coins on the table and walked around to help Dipper out of his chair. “I’ll also need my coat, gotta keep up appearances as much as possible. Especially since my current situation calls for some pretty lengthy debates and bartering. You’d think people would be kinder to you after you saved them from certain death, but then again the human race is rather cruel.”

“Okay, I have it in my quarters, I’ll get it for you,” Dipper responded and followed Bill from the shop, the few other patrons paying them no mind as they left. “The more I hear about your species, the less appealing they become.”

“S’natural, humans cause problems wherever they go, but there are a few that are redeemable. Just got to look for them, you’ll find that those who live in destitute conditions are usually the nicer bunch.”

“Seems a little sad.”

“It is, but then again it’s always been that way, those with power abuse it, and those with nothing are open to anything.”

Neither spoke after that, choosing to return to the ship in comfortable silence. Bill let Dipper retrieve his coat from the hiding spot in his room. Dipper giggled to himself as he slid it out from beneath the sheets of the bed, handing it off to Bill as he emerged from the cabin. Bill shook it out once, throwing it over his shoulders and slipping it on before smoothing it down his frame. He gave the younger man a spin and laugh before holding out his arm for Dipper to take and leading him off the ship.

“So, what exactly is this family like?”

“Hm? Oh, the Valentinos. They’re pleasant enough, at least the parents are, their kid is just a bit older than you, though I don’t know if he still lives at home. I’m pretty sure they’ll stuff you with pastries and tell you weird stories. They’ll adore you greatly, I’m sure of it.”

“Oh, you still haven’t told me what a pastry is.”

“You’ll find out soon enough, Pine Tree, trust me. It’s almost sickening how sweet these two people are.”

“Alright, then are we ready to go?”

“Yes, come on.” Bill held his arm out for Dipper again, the young man taking it with a small eye roll.

“Afraid I might disappear?”

“When in a supernatural hotspot, you keep your people close or risk losing them.”

“Speaking from experience?”

They stepped off the ramp and began to walk along the dock, Bill pausing a moment before responding. “Yes, I am.”

“Oh, who did you lose?”

“Maybe some other time, for all the trust I have in you, there are some things that I keep close to my chest. Not to protect myself, but those it concerns, I’d advise you to do the same. Don’t give anyone any information they could potentially use against you, because chances are, they will.”

After that, they walked in silence, the only noises coming from the various town people. Small children ran about the streets, playing and shouting as the adults went about their business. Dipper’s eyes were drawn to the slew of street vendors calling out their deals as people walked about the street. Looking over he could see Bill’s hard gaze set forward, blank and unwavering.

Restless, the entire town was alive with humans moving about on a mission concerning their own agendas. People bustled about, ignorant of anything and anyone that didn’t directly concern them. Energy thrummed through the town, that near electric feeling of magic humming in harmony with the natural parts of the town. Magic was imbued with the very ground, calming the restless entities beneath it, placing them in a dream-like stasis. Dipper wanted to remove his shoes, feel the raw power the town had beneath his feet. He could feel his heart beat with the thrum of nature. It filled him with a peaceful serenity.

For a brief moment he wondered if this was what Bill’s magic was like. Did humans who possessed magical abilities feel this as well? Were they susceptible to the same organic feeling that surrounded this town? He wanted to ask Bill, but looking over at the captain’s blank face he figured that his questions could wait. Letting his mind wander in tandem with the energy flow around him, Dipper walked with Bill, leaning into his side every now and again, their sides bumping.

Port towns such as this always made Bill just a bit nervous. Especially considering the first time he had come to this port was just a mere year after he became a pirate. The town had been plagued with frequent zombie attacks every other week for the last two months. He would have left them to their own devices, but then Tad had disappeared. He’d been so livid he’d killed a small horde of zombies with nothing but an empty pistol. He couldn’t remember much of what he’d done, but apparently it was a brutal fight, one where he’d come away with not a single scratch. It was unnerving for everyone, especially for Bill.

It was at that point he decided to help the town, they’d found where the zombies had dragged the people off. The kidnapped people were locked into a room, as if they were livestock. Memories of the horrid stench and wall splattered with viscera still make him sick. It was then he’d figured out just exactly what had happened, and the terrible location of the town built atop the one that came before it. The place had always been a natural hotspot for the paranormal, which is what had killed the previous town. Some magical illness that claimed all their lives and wouldn’t let them rest, even in death.

Luck had been on their side, finding the old ritual that had given the town some relief but needed renewing. Both he and Tad had worked to renew it, making sure that it would hold out for another twenty years. Tad had gotten several injuries during his time in captivity, trying to protect this one kid who’d been blubbering and crying the entire time. It was through that act that lead them to becoming friends with the Valentino family. The kid, Robbie, was returned to his parents who made it their goal to make the crew welcomed whenever they visited. They’d contacted Bill a few times after that for updates on their well-being. They were more Tad’s friends, but Bill didn’t mind them, and they were pleasant enough. Robbie was a bleeding heart, extremely emotional but always trying to act distant and closed off. It only made him more of an open book. Dipper would either hate him or get along with him well.

Yellows and pale pinks were the dominating colors that covered the house, an array of colorful flora overtaking the well pruned yard. Even after five years the house still looked relatively the same, maybe with a few more kinds of flowers Mrs. Valentino imported from somewhere. It was a pleasant nostalgic image that had Bill’s muscles un-tensing as he lead Dipper up the walkway. Before they were even at the door, it was swung open and a woman with orange curls and freckles pranced out of the house.

“Well well, it’s certainly been a while since I’ve seen your devilish mug on these shores!” Exclaimed the woman walking up and pulling Bill down into a hug. “And who is this young man?” She turned to Dipper.

The ex-siren had let go of Bill’s arm, shrinking back from this woman’s overzealous greeting. “My name is Dipper Pines ma’am,” he spoke softly, not meeting her eyes.

“Oh deary, there’s no need to be shy,” she reached over and pulled Dipper into a hug. “Any friend of Bill’s is a friend of ours. I’m sure he’s treating you well.” She pulled away, standing beside him to face Bill to raise a brow.

Bill immediately lifted his hands up, “I’ve been good, Mrs. V, no worries.”

The woman nodded and turned to look back down at Dipper. “So, my husband and son are currently out at the moment but they should be back not too long from now for lunch, how about you two gentlemen join us?”

“Mon ami, I would, but I have some business I need to take care of. My friend here isn’t used to my kind of deals and I’d like him not to have to take part in it. Would it be alright if he spends the evening with you?”

The woman scoffed, “William Cipher, you know for a fact that you and yours are always welcome in this household. Please come in, even if it’s just for a small cake, and I won’t be having no for an answer,” She spoke with finality, turning around and walking back to her house. “And don’t even think of turning and running, I will find you, Cipher!” She called over her shoulder.

Dipper stifled a giggle, “Yeah William, don’t you dare turn and run.” He winked at Bill before heading after the woman.

Bill made an indignant noise but followed close behind. The inside of the house was pleasantly plain, beige and peach colors dominated the scheme, a few more plants placed along the hall. Mrs. Valentino lead them through the front room into the small dining area, another glass door to the back letting in light. The garden out back was much like the garden up front, legions of flowers crowding the space. The dining room was well let and sparsely decorated, leaving a spacey feeling. Some insects were buzzing outside, singing along with the thrum of nature. The room reflected back the light and gentle colors, all the ambiance easing Dipper’s tension.

Teetering at the edge of the room, Bill watched as the woman entered the kitchen and returned with a plate of small white and pale pink pastries. Bill smirked, some things don’t ever change when it comes to this town, soft pastries included. She set the plate down on the humble little table, pulling a few chairs out and gesturing for them to sit. Dipper stood awkwardly, face turned to Bill with wide questioning eyes. Chuckling lightly, he pressed a hand against the small man’s back and pushed him toward one of the seats.

Once they were all seated and given a napkin with a pastry resting atop it, the questioning began, just as Bill knew it would. “So, how has the sea been, your crew doing well?”

Bill took a bite of the pastry and swallowed before answering. “The sea is as comforting as always, small blessings tend to surface every now and then. My crew is doing well, as far as I know.”

“And your brother, I trust he’s well, I would have thought he’d come with you.” Dipper’s head whipped to look at Bill after Mrs. Valentino asked the question.

Bill stiffened slightly, “Tad is doing well last I heard, he’s a captain in her majesty’s army, still sailing but not too far away from our homeland now.”

“Oh? You two were as thick as thieves, I figured he’d stay close by your side indefinitely.”

Waving his hand, Bill swallowed another bite of his pastry. “He has his own interests, lets me slip under the radar so long as I stay in contact with him. Though I’ll admit it was definitely a little bit of a shock when he informed me of his acceptance into the royal guard. Then again, Tad has always possessed an affinity for order and rule.”

Mrs. Valentino nodded, taking a bite of her own pastry. Dipper finally bit in to his own, eyes widening at the sweet tang rolling over his tongue. He chewed and swallowed before taking another eager bite. They all ate in a comfortable silence, mulling over the short conversation.

“So, news travels fast when one lives at a port,” Mrs. Valentino began, “We’d gotten some news not too long ago that your ship sunk a ways over to the southern coast, close to Africa.” Her eyes became a bit hard, searching Bill’s face in an attempt to glean it for any information. “What happened, Bill? Why are people saying that your ship sank?”

Glancing over at Dipper, Bill swallowed once, twice, then cleared his throat, refusing to meet the woman’s eyes. “Mutiny.”

Mrs. Valentino took a deep breath, “Your crew would never do something like that, they adore you.” She spoke with assurity in her voice.

“Maybe not the crew you know, but in the five years away it expanded, Tad left so I needed a new first mate, ended up choosing wrong. He lead some of my new and far less loyal crew members to a mass mutiny, probably taking the others over through his cheap magic tricks,” Bill ground out the last part. “The brat had another ship waiting, shot  _ Mens Scapus _ into oblivion while I was tied to her mast.” He finished off his pastry, stuffing his mouth so he didn’t have to speak.

“Then, how are you here?” The question tumbled from her lips, eyes worried and sad.

Bill glanced over to Dipper, swallowing the rest of his pastry. “An angel of the sea decided to rescue me.”

Mrs. Valentino followed his gaze to Dipper, who ducked his head and took another bite of his pastry, failing to stop a blush from rising to his cheeks. She glanced back and forth between the two men, eyes filled with curiosity. Opening her mouth to voice her questions, the sound of the front door interrupted her, three heads turning in the direction of the noise. Mrs. Valentino stood with a smile as an older man walked into the dining room, eyes widening slightly and smile growing as he saw that they had company. The man had dark brown hair, his green eyes were framed with glasses. He walked upright and confidently, comfortable in his home.

“Well isn’t this a nice surprise,” He walked into the dining room and pulled his wife into a hug, “Bill, it’s certainly been a while. Apparently we’ve gotten some misinformation, I’ll have to scrap those headstones, maybe recycle them for another occasion?” He asked with a small laugh.

“No need, Mr. Valentino.” Bill stood, holding out his hand for the man to shake, which he did with a bright smile.

“And who is this?” Mr. Valentino asked, turning to face Dipper, who shrunk further into his seat.

“This young man is Dipper Pines, my new first mate and friend,” Bill spoke up, saving Dipper from having to speak.

“Dear, Bill has some things he needs to take care of here at port, we’ll be having Dipper’s company until he’s done.”

“I see, well you’re both always welcome here, any friend of Bill’s is a friend of ours!”

Another man poked his head into the room, his hair a few shades darker than his father’s, almost black. Dark brown eyes were squinted at the dining room occupants, eyes shifting over each face, landing on Bill before widening.

“When’d the pirate get back? I thought he was dead,” the boy spoke in a disinterested tone, but it was clear he was curious.

“It hasn’t been the first time I’ve alluded death, Bleeding Heart, won’t be the last,” Bill grinned his too wide grin, the boy immediately flinching away.

“Ugh, man, don’t do that. It’s creepy and unnerving, save it for your job.” He turned to look at Dipper. “Word of the wise, don’t trust him, he’s creepy and obnoxious not to mention a total narcissist. Also, your nicknames don’t make sense and they’re degrading. My name is  _ Robbie _ , not  _ Bleeding Heart _ or any other variation indicating organ viscera. It’s disgusting, and you’ve probably already picked out some equally annoying name for this kid.” He gestured to Dipper, glaring at Bill.

The captain merely raised his eyebrows, a small smile sitting well at home on his face as he waited for the young man to finish his ranting. “If you’re quite done complaining about how I do things, I should be on my way, I have some work I need to do. Dipper will be spending that time with you, I’d ask you to be nice, but I think he can handle himself pretty well when facing childish daffodils such as yourself,” Bill quipped, pushing his chair in and standing behind Dipper, who had stood, not wanting to be the only one sitting. Bill patted his shoulder. “Do try to get along,” he finished with a smile, brushing past Robbie as he headed for the door. “Thanks for the pastries Mrs. V!” He called out before the door shut with a soft thud.

The house was quiet for a few moments before Mrs. Valentino finally spoke up, “Well, um, how about we move into the hearth room, maybe we can have a talk in there? I’d like to know how you came to be in Bill’s company, if you’d like?”

“Mom, look at him, he’s like, two or three years younger than me. He probably doesn’t want to talk about his life’s story!” Robbie spoke up, walking over to Dipper. “Come on, Dipper, I'll take you someplace that doesn't see corpses as a weekly occurrence.” He held a hand out to Dipper as he addressed his parents, “besides, Mr. Fernberg’s corpse still needs to be taken care of before he begins smelling.”

Cautiously, Dipper took Robbie’s hand, letting the taller man lead him out of the room. He didn't like the man's brash attitude or rudeness, and if he was honest he really didn't want to hold this man's hand. Something about him rubbed Dipper the wrong way, but he didn't feel threatened by him either. Robbie lead him up some steps and down a hall lined with paintings and a few graphite drawings. Letting go of Dipper's hand, Robbie opened one of the sparse doors in the hall, gesturing for him to enter.

“I'm guessing you're not human,” Robbie spoke, closing the door after he entered. “No sane human would spend a day with Bill let alone be his first mate, I mean, he's not the worst but his brother could hardly handle him.”

Dipper took a step away from the man. “He and I have a mutual agreement, but yes, I am not human, this is not my true visage.”

Robbie nodded. “I figured as much.”

“Bill isn't just a captain, he's my friend. I saved him from a watery grave and he freed me from a life of oppression. I trust him, as he does me. At least to an extent.”

“So his ship did go down,” Robbie mused. “How did you fix it?”

A small smile accented Dipper's face as he spoke, “Powerful magic. I'm a siren, and unlike what most humans believe, our pods are generally very solitary, it is rare for any one of us to stray so far. Besides my great uncles and I, no one I know of from home has ever left our mother waters.”

“A siren!?” Robbie's eyes widened with his exclamation. “Wow, so you must be, like, really good at singing.”

Ducking his head in a blush, Dipper spoke softly, “I'm just average, there are quite a few singers in my pod better than I am.”

“To a siren, maybe, but here, you could be phenomenal!” Robbie stepped closer. “Hey, would you like to join me and some of my friends in a show? Another singer would be fantastic, especially since you'll have a higher pitched voice.”

Dipper clapped a hand over his mouth, eyes going downcast as he shuffled away from Robbie.

“Oh, wait, no,” Robbie panicked. “Sorry, That's probably really degrading, I promise I didn't mean to insinuate you were not masculine. It's just you have a really well pitched voice for the kind of vocals my group and I have been looking for,” Robbie waved his hands frantically.

“Yeah, but everyone else will speculate, and I know too little about humans to actually try to blend in, especially if they’re going to be focused on me. News flash, I identify as a male, but my body is not,” Dipper spoke in a harsh whisper, not meeting Robbie’s eyes.

“Oh,” Robbie said after a few moments of silence. “Oh, um.” He stood and stepped awkwardly away from Dipper. “So, like, your a guy, but in a female body?”

Glaring up at him, Dipper’s face flushed a deep red. “That’s putting it simply, but yeah, that’s kind of what it is.”

“I see,” Robbie nodded, not looking at Dipper. “We could…” he trailed off. His brows were furrowed as he began to pace his room, squinting at Dipper intermediately every so often. Stopping with a small noise he clapped his hands once. “I have an idea!” He turned fully to face Dipper. “You don’t want anyone finding out what you are, or anything concerning your gender standpoint, but you probably don’t want to be hanged for any sort of fault or disposition if they do find out. So what if we dressed you up so no one would be able to recognize you off stage? You’ll only be here for today, so there’s even less of a chance you’d be recognized!”

Dipper was quiet, looking at Robbie like he’d lost a jaw or arm and hadn’t noticed yet. “I, maybe? What exactly are you thinking in ways of disguise?”

Robbie grinned, “Just follow me, I have a friend who’s a tailor’s apprentice, she’ll help us out! Not to mention keep any stray gossip out of the mix,” Robbie held out a hand to Dipper, who once again took it cautiously.

“Okay,” Dipper spoke before he was half-dragged out of the room and down the stairs.

They didn’t stop, heading right for the door and across the lawn in record time. Robbie began sprinting, Dipper having to pick up speed to not fall behind. Back in town, people still milled about, ignoring the two of them as they raced along the street. Skidding to a stop, Robbie braced Dipper’s sudden halt. The little shop they’d arrived at seemed quaint, the walls a regular pale wood that gave no view to the inside. A large painted sign indicated that the place was called “Herreth’s Fitting and Finery”. Shoving the door open with little respect, he dragged Dipper inside. A young woman, probably around Robbie’s age, lifted her head from a piece of parchment, an eyebrow lifting above her disinterested eyes.

“What poor recruit did your rope in this time, Robert?” She asked, gaze falling back down to her parchment as she continued to write. “You know you’re doomed to inherit your parents’ morgue, your musical endeavors will get you nowhere.”

“Tambry, Tambry babe, please. It’s a one night thing, just a small gig before I give all my hopes and dreams up forever. Think of it as going out with a bang. All I need is a disguise so this guy,” he gestured to Dipper, “will look like a fancy mistress, one people won’t recognize afterwards.”

“You’re going to dress some poor boy up to sing with you as a final show? I’m disgusted Robbie, I didn’t think you’d sink so low.”

“Please, Tam, just this once?” Robbie pleaded, leaning over the counter and successfully covering up her parchment.

She huffed and pushed him away, glancing over at Dipper who nervously shifted from foot to foot. “Hey,” she called out to him, her voice softer. “What’s your name?”

Clearing his throat, Dipper stepped closer. “Dipper Pines, I’m here with the crew from  _ Mens Scapus _ , I work under Captain Cipher.”

Her eyes widened marginally before returning to the disinterested gaze from before. “You do have a very nice voice, and being a part of that ship definitely has benefits.” Nodding once, it was clear in her eyes that she’d made a decision. “Come on back, I think I might have some things for you, if you’d like you can pick out what you want. Bill’s group of misfit pirates are always welcomed here. Besides, if Mrs. Herreth knew I’d turned you down she’d have me fired on principle.” She gestured for him to follow her, walking around the counter and heading through a door towards the back.

“Thank you, Tambry, you’re the absolute best!” Robbie called as Dipper followed, he moved to come along as well, but Tambry turned and held up a hand.

“I’ll not be having you disrespecting this boy’s privacy, stay in here and don’t touch anything, we’ll be out when we’re out,” She spoke with finality, turning back and walking through the door, Dipper behind her.

Closing the door behind them, Tambry was immediately pushing Dipper by his shoulders into the center of the room. “I don’t know what he said to convince you, but a word from someone who’s dealt with manipulative assholes before, don’t let them push you around.” She let go and flitted over to a wall lined with clothes hanging from wired hooks. “I don’t just mean Robbie, either, there’s a slew of utter creeps in this god forsaken shit hole who will try to persuade you to do stupid stunts.” She grabbed a few of the wire hooks, pulling them off of a wooden bar and flinging the clothes over her arm. “It’s honestly annoying how little people consider boundaries. I mean, I’m really no better, I’m the town gossip for crying out loud, but even I have some stipulation regarding something as personal and life threatening as gender identification.” Dipper blanched at that, if she knew, did that mean everyone else could tell? If they did, what would they do?

She walked back over to Dipper, holding up a long blue coat that reminded Dipper of Bill’s own red one. It was embroidered with silver and white bands, bleached brass buttons accenting the color nicely. She hummed in affirmation of some decision she made in her head, setting it down on a chair conveniently placed just off to the side in the room. Dipper tried to ignore the mirrors lining the walls to one side, light filtering in through the frosted glass that was a part of the ceiling. Skylight, that’s what Bill had called it, there was one in the little shop where they’d had lunch at.

“Alright, I’m going to need you to try on a shirt so I can tailor a few to actually fit you,” Tambry said, holding up a plain white shirt.

Nodding stiffly, Dipper pulled off his dingy shirt, nervously clutching it to his chest after he removed it. Tambry’s eyes lit with interest as she noticed the binder, he could see the question in her eyes, but she didn’t ask. Holding out her hands, she took the old shirt and handed the new one to Dipper, who quickly slid it on. Tambry, at some point, had dropped the clothes she’d been holding, holding pins in her hands instead.

“Hold still, or I might poke you,” She intoned simply, already inserting a needle into the fabric.

Her face was hard with concentration. Trying hard to stay still, Dipper inwardly cringed every time the needles came just a bit too close to his skin. She worked quickly, fitting the shirt to his form. He figured she’d probably use it as a model for whatever get up she had in mind for him. Roughly fifteen minutes later she was done and pulling the shirt over Dipper’s head. He made a small noise of alarm as she mumbled to herself, moving to grab a graphite stick and jot something down on a piece of parchment. Her eyes flicked up to stare at him a moment.

“You know, instead of just picking something random out for you, you can take a look at what’s here and pick something for yourself. I know I would never trust some stranger to pick out the things I’d be wearing for extended periods of time. Feel free to choose anything, if the Herreth’s want compensation either I or Bill can get it, but I doubt they’d charge the pirate for anything. They’re scared of him,” she finished with a smirk. “Besides, Robbie’s probably pacing a groove into the floor. I’ll go check on him, you take a look around and find something you like, when I get back we’ll see if there’s anything else we need to do.” She patted his arm once, then headed out the door.

Shifting nervously, Dipper left the spot he’d been standing in, his muscles sighing in relief, no longer having to stay still. Lifting a hand he felt some of the clothes lining the walls. Various shades of numerous colors caught his eye and he pulled a few from the wooden bar they hung from. A few pale colored shirts caught his eye and he pulled them down to examine them. He fancied a few frilly tops, they reminded him of his own fins. Something long and deep blue caught his eye and he placed the shirts down and walked over to the opposite wall.

He pulled down a lengthy, it didn’t look like a shirt, he didn’t know what it was. It was pretty though, a dark blue that had sparkling, probably fake, jewels imbued into the fabric. Like the stars, like… He lifted a hand to his forehead. Ford often talked about the stars, and at night Dipper enjoyed watching them twinkle in the sky. As a child he used to beg Ford to tell him the stories about the stars, hanging on every tale and word. He’d always hidden his birthmark, it was weird, unnatural, but Ford would always tell him it was special. It was where his nickname came from, after all. Mabel had started it, calling him “Little Dipper” even though the mark on his head was more like the “Big Dipper” Ford told him about.

Dipper remembered looking over the star charts his great uncle had brought back with him, wishing that he might be able to see them for himself one day. Ford used to encourage it, smiling at him and telling him that he would take him when he was older. His birthmark was still a blight, but at least he could take some little comfort that it resembled a celestial constellation. Pulling the not-shirt off the wooden bar, he held it to his front. It was quite a bit longer than him, reaching the floor. The fake jewels glistened in the light filtering in from the skylight, he loved how they twinkled, just like the stars.

The sound of the door opening had Dipper turning back to see Tambry walk in and shut the door behind her with a resounding thud. Her face was pinched and her brows furrowed, cheeks flushed in what was, most likely, irritation. Finally noticing him, her eyes trailed from the bottom of the clothing to his face, she smiled widely.

“Well, I never thought that- wow,” She spoke in fragments, walking over to him. “I hope you know that people will think you’re a woman if you wear a dress.” She reached out to hold the not-shirt, dress, closer to his frame.

“Well, I can wear it for the,” he paused, “show?”

She smiled, meeting his eyes with a twinkling gaze. “I think, and this is just my opinion, that no one will care how awful the music will be, they’ll be too busy wondering when some god decided to visit our little town.”

Dipping his head low, Dipper blushed, smiling at Tambry’s words. “Thanks, but I do hope it turns out okay, I’d hate to have Robbie in sour spirits after his last show.”

Tambry scoffed and stepped away, taking the dress and placing it over the back of the chair. “Honestly? He’s almost always sour, it’s practically the base of his personality.”

“That’s a bit pessimistic, don’t you think?”

“Nah, it is how it is. Now, let’s get you gussied up, they say I’m the best with makeovers.” She winked at him.

Taking a deep breath, Dipper nodded. He felt ready for whatever the day had for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *tugs nervously at my collar*  
> So, finals, AP testing, homework, and the likes, I only have 14 school days left and four of those days don't actually count. This means I'm going to be bogged down with loads of school work, which then means I have way less time to write. So sadly this little fic is going back on the rack until school is out. However, I will _promise_ that if I do get chapters done then they will be uploaded, on Fridays of course.  
>  After testing comes summer though! With summer comes a slew of other fics and projects, I'm planning on beefing up some abandoned fics and reposting them. I also have a pretty large project that has been in the planner since 2014! A few know what it is, but you'll get some more information on it when summer roles around.  
> So, buckle in and hold on tight, it's going to be a long wild ride!
> 
> ~Ireena


	11. Shady Deals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn a little more about Bill and the kind of people he makes bargains and deals with. _who is she?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no real excuse for sitting on this chapter for so long, I just couldn't find it within myself to post it :/  
> So anyway, here's the _deal_ , I upload this chapter today, on Wednesday I'll upload the other chapter I've been sitting on, and then hopefully on Friday I'll post the longer chapter that for some reason has taken me almost a month to write.

Crowds of people weaved about the streets, crowding the cobblestoned walkways and loitering about the shops. Voices filled the air in a cumulative sort of ambiance. Bill felt at ease, he could easily slip away and into the crowd if he needed to. It wasn’t necessary, not in this town anyway. Years of life as a criminal taught him to always be on high alert, even when among your own. Nauseating noise sounds from every direction, it would be disorienting if Bill wasn’t hyper-focused on the gentle thrum of the town’s magic. Sounds of yelling people became significantly easier to deal with once Bill allowed the natural magic to block them out, cutting off all other senses and just letting it lead him to the place he needed to go.

He could pull on the whisps of separate strands of magical energy. The natural earth tones belonging to the regular animals residing just beyond the town. The less ordinary colors belonged to the bizarre creatures that stalked the woods and some of the shadier areas of the town. He could pick out the energy of the humans around him, as well as the restless wavelengths of the undead. In all of these, he could still pick out Dipper’s blue and purple hued strand, strong and calm. It would fluctuate every so often, probably in correspondence to his nervousness.

It some willpower to focus on where he has to be, his own wavelength pulling him in the direction he needs to go. The shop is shady enough in its own right, it’s downright horrible when he considers how many people have died here. Echos of their past wavelengths hit at his own, begging in a way only restless spirits can, asking for freedom. The man who Bill is visiting has been in his contact list since he’d rescued his sorry ass from a horde of old and new zombies. He, later on, discovered that the guy had killed a few of the people, now turned creatures, that were after him. It was certainly tempting to let them tear his sorry ass to shreds, but now he was glad Tad convinced him to help.

Molstus Ungran was a distasteful man, crude and horrid. The only good aspect of him was still criminal, but he was able to smuggle a surplus of goods from anywhere to here. Considering his current position, he’s going to need this man’s assistance, as much as it pains him to do so. Ungran is a skeevy rodent, worse than Gideon ever was. He was handsy and arrogant, Pyronica would have torn him a new one if Tad hadn’t stopped her.

Sitting out front of his shop smoking some large roll, was the very pinnacle of Sloth, Greed, and Gluttony. It was disgusting, Bill was fond of the seven deadly sins, called them his children and wore them like a fashion trend. This man, however, sullied them like nothing else, and his shit-eating grin bothers Bill more than any other tick or peeve. Bill stopped just a few feet away as the man struggled slightly to stand.

“Bill Cipher, been a while since your handsome mug has graced our little town.” With a groan, he finally stood and walked over to Bill. “What can I do you for?” The man eyed him up, Bill cringed under his gaze.

“You can talk like a normal person, for starters,” Bill huffed, rising to his full height and glaring down at the stout man. “I’m here to cash in a favor, considering you wouldn’t be alive if I hadn’t cut down that horde last I was here.”

Lifting the blunt to his lips, Ungran took a long drag, letting the smoke out through his nose. “Really?” He dragged out the word. “And what can I do for you? More importantly, how can you make me do something for you?”

Bill sent a quick prayer to whoever would listen that he’d be able to keep his cool. “I didn’t have to save you then, Ungran, and I sure as hell don’t have to do a thing for you. Consider all your debts paid to me on the account that you supply me with enough stock to get us to France and back.”

Ungran hummed in thought, tossing his bud to the floor and stamping it out. “I could give you three times that, if you made it worth the while,” he leered, eyes shining. “I could ensure a proper trade supply for you, you’d definitely be getting a better end deal, not to mention a little extra pl-”

Bill cut him off with a knife to his throat. “It wouldn’t be much of a bother at all for me to slit your throat and take whatever it is you have supply wise. In fact, I think quite a few people would sleep easier at night, knowing you’re no longer a danger to them or anyone else around. Honestly, I would much prefer to see your disgusting meat sack in pieces across the floor, perhaps I could feed you to the zombies. I’m sure quite a few are begging for something to tear into, even if you do lack a proper brain.” He pressed the knife further into Ungran’s neck. “So I’ll make this proposition to you one last time, your debt to me will be paid so long as you provide me and my crew with the necessary supplies to get us to France and back, twice now because you disgust me.”

The man’s eyes watered with fear, sweat beginning to gather at his temples as he trembled. “Well?” Bill intoned darkly. Ungran nodded, whispering yes as tears fell from his wide eyes. “Good,” Bill said, stepping back and concealing the knife once more. “I’d hate to have to inform my brother that I ended up killing someone we previously saved, but to be honest, I think he’d agree with me in my reasoning for doing so.” Bill turned from him and stepped into the shop. “Oh, and one more thing, if I find you preying on any other poor soul, you can forget this little deal, and you can forget about running. I will find you.”

“I-I, yes, of course, whatever you say Mr. Cipher.” Unran scurried to follow him inside.

Rolling his eyes, Bill waited for the man to pull back the rug in the center room, revealing a trap door. He tugged it open, pulling a matchbox from a pocket and lighting a candle from the front desk. The poor light illuminated the stairwell leading down into the cellar.

“So, I have some dried fruits and meats, but I also have some fresh goods that you might be interested in.” Ungran’s voice no longer shook, though his hands still trembled slightly.

Something felt off about the cellar, some dark presence laid within the walls. Bill could tell the man wasn’t lying about what he had, and he could smell the salt used to dry out and preserve the rations. He could also tell how much of the room was occupied and if there was any other presence down there.  _ Leave this place, Bill, I don’t like it down here _ . Bill nearly flinched at the voice, it sounded timid, afraid.  _ He has something hidden down here, I can not see it but it does not have any good intentions. _ Bill stopped following Ungran down the steps, letting his own waves of magic feel along the walls. It felt relatively normal at first, but then he felt it, a small ripple in the line of his magic. It was cloaked, similar to the spell he and Dipper used when they smuggled materials out of the Wreck, but not nearly as strong. If he pushed hard enough he could tell there were more people down there.

“You know what, have the rations delivered to my ship, I have a few more errands to run before I depart. I’ll drop by one more time to bid you farewell and ensure that you hold up your end of the deal.” He turned and began ascending the stairs. “If you cross me, Molstus Ungran, it will be the last thing you ever do.” He then left the stairs, quickly making his way out of the shop and back onto the street.

_ Thank you, Bill, whatever was down there did not have good intentions towards you _ . Bill didn’t respond, ignoring the voice usually gave it the impression to fuck off for a bit. He wasn’t lying when he said he still had some errands to run, though they were more like deals considering he was planning on cashing in on debts and favors. He guessed he owed it to Tad for convincing him to help out the town back then, instead of letting it get leveled. Perhaps after all of this ends, he’ll visit his brother, have some good news for a change.

Small children circled him in a game of tag, giggling as they weaved through his long legs, tripping once or twice but catching themselves before falling. Bill grin as one caught herself on his pant leg, her wide green eyes shot up to his. He stopped walking as she regained her balance, mumbling a sorry before running after her friends. Laughing lightly, he continued on his way. It would be smart to check in on the ship, there were still quite a few shady people about after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please drop by my beta reader's blog, they're
> 
> [TinyGhost](http://palemarriage.tumblr.com/)
> 
> and they're the best!
> 
> There's now an official blog for this fic, feel free to drop by some time!
> 
> [==>](http://diyd.tumblr.com/)


	12. Heart in Throat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Good, I’m no human, I have no qualms with the topic,” Dipper’s brown eyes flashed, his skin prickling under the conversation topic. “It’s not that I disregard human life, but it doesn’t really concern me.”

After the general search and mend along with at least an hour of adjustments, Tambry had armed Dipper with an abundance of shirts, four pairs of trousers, undergarments, and the dress. He’d protested in the beginning after she had handed him the fifth frilly top, but Tambry had been adamant, complaining that the state of living on a ship was atrocious as it was and that he should at least have a decent wardrobe. After some haggling he relented and with a smile and squeal, Tambry dragged him through the clothes and picked out what she thought he’d like best. He turned down a few of her suggestions, occasionally refusing them on principle. Robbie had knocked on the door a few times, every time he ended up with Tambry shoving him into a different portion of the shop.

Four hours after arriving at the tailors, Tambry finally deemed him well enough equipped, fixing up the dress so it fit his form as the last of her work. The soft fabric felt cool and kind on his skin, the jewels sparkling in the slowly waning light. The shuffling of Robbie’s shoes on the wood floor could be heard on the other side of the door. Tambry grumbled some impolite and inappropriate comment under her breath, heading over and throwing the door open.

“What now?” She demanded, almost hitting him with the door.

Jumping back, Robbie glared at her for a moment. “I just want to know how much longer it will be before he’s done, we’re kind getting close to our allotted time in the town center.”

“Oh stop whining, he has what he needs so he’s ready to go. So if you would be a kind gentlemen instead of a self serving little brat, _please_ escort him to the ship so he can deposit his things there,” Tambry glowered at him as she spoke. “Maybe if you’re good I’ll make you that ridiculous outfit you’ve been gabbing over for the last two months.”

Robbie’s face lit with jubilation. “Wait, really? You’ll do that for me?”

Rolling her eyes with a scoff, Tambry nodded. “Of course, even if it is considered fashion suicide, and I won’t be supporting the wear, just so you know.”

With a bright smile, Robbie leaned in and kissed her cheek, hugging her briefly before walking over to Dipper. Without a word he began picking up the clothes from the chair, throwing them over his arm. Tambry’s unimpressed gaze had him smoothing them out so they wouldn’t crease, but the smile never left his face. Before long, Robbie was escorting Dipper from the shop, the smaller boy sticking close as his eyes darted around the street. People mostly ignored them, too caught up in their own schedules, Dipper still held his clothes a little closer to his chest keeping his eyes downcast. It didn’t take too long before they reached the docs, Dipper relaxed as the sounds of the ocean sounded back at them.

Approaching the ship, Dipper could see that a few of the crew members had returned and were lazily milling around deck. “Where to, kid?” Robbie spoke up.

“My cabin’s just over there,” Dipper replied, leading Robbie across the deck. The crew members watched in silence as the two entered Dipper’s quarters.

After dumping the clothes on the bed, Robbie straightened up and turned to face Dipper. “So,now that we’re done here and you’re all gussied up, we can go get ready for the concert!” Robbie grinned, reaching over and placing his hands on Dipper’s shoulders. “You know, you honestly look a great deal better like this. Why change what’s already good? I mean, it’s pretty dangerous for someone like you to be bold enough to wear a man’s clothes, but to actually transition to a man? It’s just a little insane, your choice, but still insane.”

Smiling nervously, Dipper took a step back. “Regardless of what people believe, I am uncomfortable being referred to as a female. Imagine giving up what you love, then claiming it’s a terrible thing, all the while you still love it, still want it. I feel like a living lie, that’s why I want to change, because this is wrong to me,” He gestured to himself. “I may look… pleasing to the eye, but I never wanted to garner any form of attention in that respect. I am only doing this as a favor to you… and because I like the dress.”

Blinking once before smiling, Robbie nodded. “Okay, whatever, you do you man.” He walked over to the empty desk and sat on it. “I honestly don’t see what the appeal is to life as a pirate. They kill, they steal, I can understand the drinking, but they still do a lot of questionable things. I mean, Bill and Tad have some sort of moral code, but a lot of other pirates don’t, and here you are, not even human and throwing yourself into the middle of some sort of revenge cycle between pirates.”

“You don’t know my motives, perhaps I have something to be gained by being among pirates.”

“Yeah, sure, but this whole feud is going to end in a bloodbath, just so you know. You don’t seem like the kind of person that handles a whole bunch of carnage very well.”

“I’m no human, my normal diet consists of raw meats and plant life, I care very little for beings that hold no ties to me, even less for those that lie and betray.”

Robbie flinched, “That’s a little gross and just a bit frightening.” He shifted uncomfortably, “You don’t eat humans, do you?”

“No, I’ve never heard of any siren eating human flesh, we live pretty far below the surface, going up to attack any human vessel is too much work, plus humans are disgusting and pollute the ocean with waste. In that respect, I don’t know a single siren who would want to put that in their mouth, let alone actually consume it.”

“Eugh,” Robbie shuddered. “You talk so nonchalantly about the consumption of humans, it’s kind of unnerving.”

“Good, I’m no human, I have no qualms with the topic,” Dipper’s brown eyes flashed, his skin prickling under the conversation topic. “It’s not that I disregard human life, but it doesn’t really concern me.”

“Well, it kind of does now, you look human enough, I’m assuming your body functions just the same as a human.”

Dipper looked away, deciding to walk over to the simple chest at the foot of the bed, placing the clothes in without order. “I suppose.”

“Oh man, wait, how long have you been human?”

Standing back up and turning to face Robbie, Dipper gave him a weird look. “Why?”

“Oh uhm, well,” Robbie’s face flushed and he coughed into his hand twice, “So, you probably don’t know a whole lot of female functions and such, crap, why didn’t Tambry talk to you about this?” Robbie gripped his hair, his ears red. “I’ll just, you’ll figure it out, you’ll be fine.”

Dipper raised a brow, “Okay? That made no sense,” He turned back to his chest and finished putting all the clothes away.

“So…” Robbie dragged out the word, shuffling closer to Dipper, “how do you like the world of humans?”

“It’s interesting enough, I haven’t really seen a whole lot of it,” Dipper replied, sitting down on the bed.

Moving to sit next to him, Robbie hummed. “Would you like to see more of it? Get the whole “human” experience and all?”

“You sure like to jump from topic to topic.”

“Trying to keep people interested requires keeping up conversation, people have this need to finish their thoughts or something.” He moved his hands behind him and leaned back. “What is it you’re looking for, why leave the ocean to just come to a place like this?”

“Freedom,” Dipper replied, flopping back onto the bed to stare at the canopy. “My family was smothering me, trying to dampen my curious nature, I don’t know why. So I left the first opportunity I had, and that was Bill’s ship sinking. Don’t get me wrong though, I like Bill, he’s been kind when he didn’t have to be. He gives me space and the freedom to explore, but he also cares enough to worry about me from a distance.”

“Oh…” Robbie trailed off, falling back onto the bed as well. “Are you two like, together?”

“What?” Dipper turned his head to face Robbie, his cheeks flushing. “No, we’re not together, if anything we’re just using each other to achieve our own personal goal. I don’t know if he even sees me as a friend. I mean, I think he’s a good friend to have, I honestly consider him one, but I don’t think he really trusts me. I didn’t even know he had a brother, all I know is that his crew committed mutiny and he’s made it his goal to exact revenge.”

“That,” Robie smacked the bed, “That right there is why you should say goodbye and do what you want, leave him and do your own thing. I hate to say it, Dipper, but he’s just using you to get what he wants, he’ll toss you to the side the moment he’s done getting revenge.”

Dipper raised a brow at him, “You assume I don’t have my own agenda?”

“I’m assuming that you could do better.”

“What do you mean by that? I think I’m doing pretty good so far, considering that I raised an entire vessel from the ocean, befriended the captain, became his first mate, and I’m learning to sword fight. So, I think I’m doing quite well, as we speak I’m learning more about humans as well as the kind of magic above the surface. Besides, I can’t leave Bill yet, it’s like turning a shark over to let it drown, it’s cruel and unnecessary.”

“I don’t think you’re quite catching on to what I’m proposing,” Robbie spoke as his hand moved to grasp Dipper’s.

Eyes wide, Dipper looked down to where Robbie had taken his hand. “Uhm.” He slipped his hand away and slid off the bed. “No?”

“Okay, so, I know we just met today and everything, but I think that it could work between us. You say you want to know what it is like up here, that requires living like a human, well, part of being a human is getting into a relationship. You and I can travel, go further inland, learn about anything and everything there.” Robbie slid off the bed as well and approached him.

“No, I don’t want to be too far from the sea.” Dipper continued to step away from Robbie’s advances. “Please don’t come any closer.”

Robbie continued to walk closer, “Please, just give me a chance? You won’t have to pretend with me, I can protect you from the law, help you get around things. I mean, you’ll have to tell them you’re a girl, but it’s a small price to pay in the long run don’t you think?” Robbie’s hands were out, fingers spread wide, arms extended toward Dipper.

The ex-siren shrunk back, lower lip trembling. “I don’t want you, I don’t know you.”

“You can get to know me, if you stay, we can become close, I just know it.”

“I thought you liked Tambry? Why don’t you ask her to travel the land with you?”

“Tambry is a city girl, she wouldn’t leave her life here,” Robbie spoke, his eyes flashing with something like regret. Perhaps…

“Why don’t you stay here, make a living for yourself in the city, I’m sure there’s something. You don’t want me, Robbie, we’re complete strangers to each other.”

The human’s jaw clenched as his eyes went downcast, “No, I don’t want to stay here, no one respects me here.” His eyes shot back to Dipper’s face. “But you can change that, you have the power, you may not kill people, but you can influence them, we as a team would be unstoppable.” He finally placed his hands on Dipper’s shoulders, having backed him into a wall. “Please just say yes, I promise I will never hurt you, I will only ever make you happy. We can be comfortable together, we can even stay close to the ocean if that’s what you want.”

“What I want is to stay on _Mens Scapus_ as the first mate to Bill Cipher. I want to travel atop the seas unbidden by foolish human greed. I don’t want a relationship with a being who questions who and what I am. I want anything that doesn’t have to do with you. I want you to be truthful, because you do not want me, you won’t ever want me, because the person you want doesn’t notice you in the way you feel you deserve to be noticed. It is petty for someone such as yourself to impose on any person for their own personal gain. I agreed to help you with a single thing because I didn’t want to be a burden to you or your family. I, however, refuse to engage in any other activity you propose, especially one as intimate as a relationship.”

Robbie’s eyes grew hard as he glared down at Dipper. Without warning he surged forward and pressed his lips to Dipper’s. They were not chapped, or really special, but they felt wrong against Dipper’s own. A muffled yelp tore its way from Dipper’s throat as he began pushing against Robbie’s chest, struggling to get him off.

Four things happened at once; the cabin door flew open, falling off two of its hinges to be left hanging by only one. Bill stalked into the room with his sword raised, yelling out in a language Dipper didn’t understand. Robbie was thrown off of Dipper to the floor by some unseen force, causing the man to yell out in pained surprise. Finally, Dipper saw Bill’s eyes. Instead of the stormy sky blue on white, they were some dark inverted color. The white was black, and the blue of his eyes flashed white and red. For a moment Dipper could only watch as Bill lifted Robbie of the floor and threw him across the room.

Spurring into action, Dipper stepped in front of Bill, raising his hands to stop Bill from advancing on Robbie, who was yelling from his spot on the floor. His heart beat fast as Bill growled lowly at him, moving to step around him. Dipper stepped into his path, not letting him pass.

“Robbie, get out of here,” Dipper spoke with what he hoped was conviction in his wavering voice.

Robbie scrambled to stand but was thrown off his feet by the same unseen force. He cried out as he hit the desk, sliding over and falling to the floor again. Bill had a hand raised, yelling in the same foreign tongue. On a whim, Dipper grabbed Bill’s hand, struggling to lower it from its current position. Bill was attacking Robbie with some sort of magic, and he was angry. The ex-siren wondered how much of the conversation Bill had heard, did he get angry because Dipper was using him?

“Get off me, kid, he has to go!” Bill growled, his voice layered, causing Dipper’s hairs to stand on end.

“No,” his voice continued to waver, “Bill no, please don’t!” Dipper practically hung from Bill’s arm now.

“People like him should not be allowed to live, Pine Tree, they have little to no moral ground.”

“Bill please don’t, he’s the son of your friends, what will happen to you if you anger the people here? This is such a nice town, a safe place for you, if you kill him it won’t be safe any more! Please don’t kill him, he’s just confused, he wouldn’t have done anything more!” Dipper managed to lower Bill’s hand slightly.

“He attacked you, how can you defend that?” Bill’s voice was slightly less layered, his eyes turned to Dipper instead of Robbie.

“If he had gone through with it, he’d live with unbearable guilt forever, but he wouldn’t. Please Bill, it’s not worth it, killing him won’t change anything.” Dipper had Bill’s hand pressed to his chest, both of his own hands gripping the captain’s wrist.

“He dressed you up and belittled you. You said no and yet he continued forward, people like that become twisted, Pine Tree.”

“Maybe, but I think you’ve scared him enough that if he ever tries again he’ll remember this encounter. I am really okay, Bill. I’m not defenseless.”

Bill blinked, his eyes slowly fading from black to white, the stormy blue looking back at him again. “Bleeding Heart has the potential to be dangerous…”

“Everyone has the potential to be dangerous, it’s those that choose to act to on it that become a problem. Violence tends to cause more problems, it should only ever be a last resort. Besides, I find your propositions a great deal more appealing, even if it will end in the in the inevitable death of quite a few people.”

“Listen to him,” Robbie piped up from the other side of the desk, his eyes visible from just over the surface of the wood.

“Shut up Bleeding Heart, you should be grateful that Pine Tree here cares enough to spare your worthless ass,” Bill growled.

“Bill,” Dipper squeezed the captain’s wrist again.

“Fine, fine, I’ll have someone escort him home,” Bill ground out, pulling away from Dipper. “My cabin, now, we need to talk. Bad things tend to come in threes, from my point, this is the second one.” Bill turned and exited Dipper’s cabin, a moment later a tall lanky man entered and walked over to Robbie.

The crew member helped up the frazzled and slightly shaking Robbie, holding him by the arm and taking him out the door. Robbie shot Dipper and indiscernible look before walking quickly with the man. The boy stood in his cabin for just a moment before leaving it himself. His heart seemed to be pressing against his lungs, making it hard for him to breathe. He could make a joke about facing down into the jaws of the kraken, but there was definitely something about Bill that seemed off. Dipper was genuinely just a little frightened about what might happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, give all your loving to my beta, without whom this would all be utter garbage! [TinyGhost](http://palemarriage.tumblr.com/)
> 
> The blog has some new artwork!!! [==>](http://diyd.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Please leave a comment if you have something to say, I thrive on feedback!


	13. The Blind Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He needed to do something, he had to intervene, if he could stop Bill like he did before then maybe some of these people wouldn’t have to suffer.

Bill drummed his fingers on his desk, his other hand raking through his hair. Bad things come in threes. News that his father died, his mother passing, her majesty declaring his father a traitor. The first terrible threes. The next ones were further apart. Tad’s mother passed, the voice in his head making itself known, then the pirate attack. He sighed heavily, letting the hand in his hair fall to the desk. By the looks of things, the three rule is once again running it's ugly course. Gideon’s betrayal was the first one, a brutal first. Bill was certain that this entire day could be constituted as the second bad thing, otherwise it would be just a day filled with rotten outcomes, a slew of threes.

The knocking startled Bill from his thoughts, eyes shooting over to look at the cabin door. It was probably Pine Tree, done steeling himself and ready to face the monster behind the door. There was no covering up what had happened, Bill had let the beast loose, he'd let his anger take over and almost killed the son of his good friends. He would have done so if Dipper hadn't stepped in, if the kid hadn't risked his own safety to protect Bleeding Heart. A cold shiver traveled down Bill's spine. He could have killed the kid, for a moment he kind of wanted to.

“You may enter,” he finally called out, his voice a bit more raspy than normal. He rubbed his throat and tried to clear it, the slick residue of mucus making him cringe.

The door opened slowly, the pale face of his first mate the first thing to appear from the other side of the door. “Hey, Bill, we…” his voice broke and he cleared it, “we need to talk,” he finished, entering the room and shutting the door behind himself.

Bill sighed deeply, letting his face fall a little as he sat back, resigned. “Yes, I’m sure you’d like to discuss the events of, well, what I did.” He rubbed his face with a hand, his stomach twisting further in knots.

“I won’t lie and say that it did not frighten me, for a moment I thought you might have been possessed.” Dipper chuckled nervously. “However, you’re not frightened or panicked, so I’m assuming that this is something that’s not new to you?” Dipper’s eyes searched Bill’s face, his hands clasped and fidgeting.

“You’re right to be afraid of that, of me, and you aren’t wrong in assuming that this isn’t the first time I’ve lost control. The… beast, is somewhat of a normal occurrence, it’s part of the reason I’m so notorious among men and pirates alike. I get angry enough, I can maim and destroy anything in my path.” Bill ground his teeth together, eyes downcast. “I really wish you hadn’t seen it, it’s not something I’m proud of.”

Dipper’s hand covered his mouth as he nervously bit down on his lower lip. “I can gleam why, but, I wish you’d told me. That whole,” Dipper gestured, “debacle could have been avoided.”

“Ah yes, I can see how that conversation would go down,” Bill lifted his hands, fingers spread as if he was picturing it. “Good morning Pine Tree, lovely day isn’t it? I just want you to know that at some point I am going to lose control and could potentially kill you without remorse, just thought you should be informed of that.” Bill dropped his voice at the end and looked away from Dipper.

“That’s not what I meant Bill, I understand that trust is going to be an issue in this whole thing, but we should really sit down and talk about things. I can understand you not wanting to talk about your brother, but this was something I should have been informed of.” Dipper walked over and sat at the edge of Bill’s desk.

Hunching over the captain let his elbows rest on the desk as he buried his head in his hands. “You’re right, of course, in all respects.” He lifted his head to glance at Dipper. “This is just something that not even I know the full extent of. My… my brother and I let it be because my rage is what kept us alive in the beginning, we were always going to figure things out together but… but life happened.” Bill sighed and sat back in his chair, brushing his hair back and avoiding Dipper’s eyes.

“What do you mean by it kept you alive? What situations would require such a violent and… magical outburst?” The siren seemed to think for a moment before adding, “You don’t have to tell me but, I want to know.”

Cerulean eyes met a honey hued brown. Small pops sounded from Bill’s back as he sat up straight, the captain making a face at the feeling. “Are you sure you want to have this conversation, Pine Tree? I can guarantee you won’t like everything you hear.”

Slipping off the desk, Dipper walked over to Bill’s bed and plopped down, patting the space next to him, lips pursed and eyes intent. Bill’s sigh fell to a chuckle as he stood from his chair and walked over to sit by Dipper. He folded his arms over his chest and glanced over at Dipper who scooted back on the bed, his hands clasped over his knees.

“Where do you want me to start?” Bill asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

“Wherever you want, I’ll listen, I’ve been told I’m pretty good at that.” Dipper tried to give him a reassuring smile.

“I only vaguely remember my father, he was stern and always seemed ill at ease. I don’t know why my mother loved him. When I figured out he had a kid with someone else around the same time I was born I… well I kinda wish he was alive so I could punch him in the dick.” Bill chuckled, the tone bitter and flat. “I hardly knew him… I wasn’t the only one though. Apparently he’d been doing shady business with the enemy, guess piracy runs in the family. I was no more than twelve when her majesty announced my father was a good for nothing traitor. I revoked him in his entirety, and that was that.”

Dipper moved his hand to grip Bill’s as it had begun to shake a little. The blonde clenched his jaw and exhaled loudly through his nose, his brows pinched creasing his forehead.

“Took them seven years after they proclaimed he was dead. Mom was so upset she hardly let me leave her sight. It was hardly a year later that she passed, I never really understood until she died in a storm the following year… gods that was a terrible time. I kept expecting her to come home, the maids often found me out on the shoreline. It went on for about a year until I met my half brother. His mother had tried to find my father, didn’t even know his surname, just that he lived somewhere there,” Bill paused, lacing his fingers with Dipper’s.

“How could I possibly turn her away? Why would my father do something so immoral and wrong? I allowed both her and my brother into the household, they were my family from the moment I met them. Tad’s mother deserved so much more than what she got. Her name was Philomela Strange, my brother’s name is Tad. For four years we were a family, we were happy and content…” Bill trailed off.

“What happened?” Dipper prompted after a few minutes of silence.

“Mela was sick, more than she ever let on to Tad and myself. Whenever we asked if she was alright she’d just smile and say she was fine… She hurt though, she loved my father as much as my own mother had and he left her after a month of them being together. A month… and then nearly seven years raising a child on her own. She never got better after getting sick, she died a few months after I turned twelve. It was at that point everything really went to shit.”

Bill huffed, squeezing Dipper’s hand as his left knee bounced in agitation. The younger man squeezed back, choosing not to speak and let the other man come around on his own.

“Not too long after she died was when her majesty declared our father a traitor to the crown.” Bill’s jaw clenched, eyes hard and staring ahead. “Tad and I set sail not even a month after denouncing his titles. He destroyed the family name, we took what we could and left with those who wanted to come with us. After that it was just my brother and I against everyone, an unstoppable duo, or at least it felt that way…”

“That sounds hard, did you miss the land?”

Bill chuckled again, the bitter tone a little lighter. “No, not ever. Even though I have such a huge fear of drowning I feel more at home at sea than I have ever felt on land.” Bill turned his head to look at Dipper. “Tad and I sailed for three and a half years with no issues or controversy, we were traders and had a good enough living, we made friends and got around with no trouble.” Bill took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh, facing away from Dipper again. “Everything seemed to be going well, we hadn’t had any sort of trouble, we got comfortable. In hindsight we probably should have known it couldn’t last forever.”

Bill’s knee shook, his jaw clenching intermediately.  _ Relax fool, he’s not going to run, have you seen how calm he’s been this entire time? Besides, if he hasn’t already fallen asleep to listening to your life’s story yet, then I think he’ll stick around for the rest of it _ . Cringing, Bill cleared his throat.

“I was fifteen when we were attacked by pirates. They were disguised as one of her majesty’s ships, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to stop us and check for smuggling. We were under siege in minutes, everyone in our crew utterly frantic and screaming. All the pirates wanted was our goods, it didn’t matter what happened to us so long as they came out unscathed. I was an idiot and challenged one of them trying to take our spices from our holding deck. Tad jumped in trying to save my sorry ass, I had been downed in one blow like an utter fool.”

Pausing again, Bill took another breath. “My brother is very important to me, we may only share a douche of a father but he stuck with me during some of the most difficult times in our lives. So, when the pirate went to plunge his sword into Tad’s chest, I sort of, lost it. It felt like waking up, everything so clear and sharp, b-b-but at the same time it was blurry, pinpointed on my target. I crushed him with nothing more than a punch to the gut. I could describe to you in detail how I literally massacred the rest of that pirate crew, I won’t though, it was terrible. “

“After,” Bill cleared his throat, “after that we took everything of value or gun-power from their ship and then sunk it, along with the bodies of all who died. The only soul who survived from that pirate crew was Eye-Bat, poor thing had been captured by the captain. She was a trembling mess, most likely why the beast… why I spared her then. Eb was hardly thirteen, it was disgusting the kind of state they had left her in.”

“Eye-Bat was on board of that ship?” Dipper’s brows furrowed, “What did they do to her?”

Bill seemed to pale and cringed, casting his gaze over to Dipper. “People are sick kid, humans are often some of the worst monsters out there. They function on basic instinct and many would disregard morals to fill any simple desire… Sometimes it doesn’t matter, the situation or the person, they just take and destroy.”

Dipper looked away, eye cast to his pressed together knees. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize, you haven’t done anything morally ambiguous, and I doubt that you ever will, you’ve only ever been kind. I admire that, makes me kind of wish I was a siren instead of a human…”

“What,” Dipper paused, “What happened after that?”

“After that time, I knew if people found out I’d be hunted, Tad wanted to go into hiding. I, on the other hand, knew that I’d just unleashed something I could never again shove back into the proverbial box. From then on I could feel it festering, whatever that thing is, if it is anything at all, refuses to be shut up for too long. It’s a drive for destruction and rule. After that day we became pirates, whether it was a fully conscious decision or just a slow descent into a life so far off the deep end we knew we could never truly hope to swim out of. At least, not at the expense of something or another.”

“We took out anyone that posed a threat, we spared those who deserved another chance, we pillaged people who were corrupt. Had I known we’d be labelled as pirates I might have changed things, but it didn’t matter then, don’t see why it should matter now. People put a label on us and when we embraced it they placed a bounty on our heads. Other pirates reached out to us, took my brother and I in, at age eighteen we were among the top five most wanted for piracy. Age nineteen, even other pirates feared us. Unlike many others we still have our own moral standpoints, if anyone close enough to us violates them, we eradicate them. Pirate codes be damned if they interfere with our own codes, and they all damn well know that.”

“That… that’s all really. Just a little more than a year ago my brother left to join her majesty’s army, a dream he’d wanted to fulfill since childhood. He deserves that happiness, last I heard he’d met some nice bloke, so I’m happy for him. Still, it blows that he and I are no longer the faceless pirate duo, a stupid name for a frightening pair. People still don’t know it’s just a solo thing now, not that I really mind, nor does Tad, since it keeps the suspicion off of him.” At that Bill paused, giving Dipper’s hand another squeeze. “So, you ready to hop ship yet?”

Letting out a breath, Dipper shook his head. “No, no I’m not going to jump ship. One, it would be a terrible idea since we’re not in my mother waters. Two, I’m honestly less scared of you than I’ve ever been before. Bill, regardless of what you’ve become you’re still quite an exceptional human. I don’t know many people, and I know I’m inexperienced with any sort of moral obligation concerning your kin, but you seem like one of the good ones. You’re kind despite all the opposition you have faced in your life, and you’re still young, still have so much to look forward to. You say you admire me? Well, I admire you too, you’re an amazing person and I’m glad to call you my captain.” Dipper’s face flushed involuntarily.

Bill only blinked at him, eyes widening slightly. “That’s very kind of you, but, I’ll admit I’ve done some pretty morally wrong things as well. I’m really no role model for some kid siren just now experiencing a new world.” He winced at his words.

“I don’t agree,” Dipper looked to their clasped hands. “I made the right choice, coming with you, and I will do anything to stay aboard. You said that your, beast, inner demon, whatever you choose to call it, laid dormant longer in my presence. Perhaps I can help you discover the origin of it, and in return, you teach me how to handle myself in this world.” He met Bill’s eyes, his own amber orbs filled with determination. “Deal?”

A wide smile slowly consumed Bill’s face, reaching his eyes for what felt like the first time since Dipper met him. “You got yourself a deal, Pine Tree.” His eyes flicked briefly to Dipper’s mouth, also curving into a wide grin.

He licked his lips, eyes going back to Dipper’s own. Shifting a little, he turned his body to face Dipper better, his knee brushing against Dipper’s. The siren’s own gaze flitted down for a moment before quickly going back to Bill’s eyes.

“Do, do we officially seal this deal or, or something?” Dipper stuttered.

“If you want, it usually solidifies the deal further, so I’d say so.”

Amber imbued brown eyes watched with rapt attention as Bill leaned closer, the blue of Bill’s eyes dark in the poorly lit room. Dipper’s breath hitched as his captain placed his free hand on his cheek. Warmth breath blew across his lips, like the salty air of the sea in which the siren lived. A loud crash from the deck startled them both, Bill jumping away as his hand landed on the hilt of the sword fastened to his hip. Yelling could be heard from beyond the door, frantic and angry. Dipper watched in shock as Bill flung open the door and rushed onto the deck, his face once again hard and determined.

After the initial shock wore off, Dipper quickly jumped off the bed and went for the door. His heart hammered in his chest as he flung the door open, his fear rising as cloaked figures littered the deck. Strange magical waves seemed to weave around them, their strength increasing as the sun went down. His eyes found Bill poised in the middle of the deck, fending off a few of the cloaked figures.

Dipper moved forward with purpose, these people worked with magic made stronger by the light of the moon. If they managed to keep everyone busy long enough they could potentially take over the ship. Bill growled as he threw down one of the cloaked figures, their hood falling away to reveal a slightly older man with a gaunt face and deep set eyes. The captain didn’t recognize him, he didn’t have any quarrel with this man, or at least he didn’t believe he did. He could hear various members of the fish crew take up arms and try to push the invaders over the side.

He could also hear the familiar patter of his first mate’s footfalls quickly approaching. His heart plummeted, his first mate was here, in the midst of unidentified foes, people who wouldn’t stay down, if the man he’d just knocked over was anything to go by. The man was on his feet in moments, moving to grab at Bill. He could feel Dipper’s hand at his back, the siren yanking him out of the man’s reach. Both of them watched as the hooded figures singled in on them, pressing in from all sides. When did so many manage to climb aboard?

“Don’t you know it’s bad luck to have a woman on board a ship?” A familiar voiced called out from somewhere to the left. “Though I must admit,” they chuckled, “she’s quite a beauty, bet she’s a vixen in the sheets, eh?”

“Ungran! You fucking sleazebag! What the hell is all this?” Bill yelled, turning in the direction of the voice.

Dipper stiffened at the words, who were these people? Why were they abusing magic? What did this person mean by his vulgar vocabulary? Dipper’s stomach twisted in knots, his heart picking up its pace.

“You think I hadn't heard of your unfortunate fall from your throne? I know that everyone you ever trusted on your ship turned on you, sent you down to Davey Jones, so the only way you could possibly be here is if you made a deal with the devil.”

As Ungran spoke the figures around them closed in. Hands grabbed at both men, successfully immobilizing them.

“Wherever a soulless man wanders his curse shall destroy it all. You're a cursed soulless man, Bill Cipher, and you being here will only cause the town trouble. So, on behalf of the Society of the Blind Eye, we shall eradicate your existence from the face of the earth, your soul will be claimed by Davey Jones and we will be safe.”

Dipper's eyes widened, didn't they know the demon of the sea cared very little for humans and only ever made deal when he was bored? He also really wanted a soul, it was usually servitude, souls tended to cause more problems than they were worth. A human soul had a lot of worth, they were powerful and could be utilized for many different things, but they were a hassle. They needed special containers, needed to be sustained in certain conditions, if not, they could explode. It seemed like a bigger burden than a boost.

“He didn't make a deal with the ocean demon, he was nowhere near the site of the sinking ship. Davey wouldn't bother with a soul anyway, your source of information is lacking,” Dipper spoke up, his arms aching from where they held him.

“And how could you possibly know that?” a rich deep voice called out.

The cloaked people parted to make way for another. They were taller than the others, walking in a ramrod straight position. It looked almost as if it hovered instead of walked, the sound of steps the only thing breaking the illusion. The strange waves of magic hit Dipper full force as the figure reached them. They stopped just a foot in front of Dipper, the poor light only reaching the lower part of their face, their mouth drawn into a stern line. Large pale hands reached up to remove the hood, revealing an angled face, head covered in markings. Their eyes were set deep, a pale green hue marred by flecks of brown. One eye was a little more milky than the other, Dipper realized he was blind.

“I am known as Blind Ivan, the leader of all sects of this society, after our late founder whose memories we have locked in our vaults at our center city. He garnered our base knowledge and I have traveled here to ensure this port is still operational. Our duty is to ensure the world is protected from the evil influences of magic.”

“W-well, you're doing a rather poor job then. Natural magic as well as the protective barrier still hold strong here. It would be dangerous if removed. Besides, you have no real quarrel with this ship and crew, each member still retains their soul, no demon deal has been made,” Dipper's voice shook a little as he spoke.

“Really now?” Ivan took a step forward, his breath ghosting across Dipper's face, making the siren cringe. “Then how do you explain his sunken ship once again on the sea, little girl?”

Everything was quiet, the exception being Bill’s erratic breathing as he glared daggers at Blind Ivan.  _ Poor uncultured man is going to be torn apart, that or you’ll pass out by not breathing properly _ . Some random figure had taken his sword, his scabbard lying empty at his side. The weight of his dagger was heavy in his boot, if he was fast enough he could take down a few members of this dumb society. He’d heard of them, respected some of their views even, but clearly they weren’t great if Ungran was a part of it. The filthy rat was going to suffer if anyone so much as made his first mate uncomfortable. Well, he was going down either way, no one should talk about any woman like that, especially considering Pine Tree wasn’t a  woman.

Dipper puffed up his chest, “You should know, here and now, that going by outdated knowledge is a sure way to get yourself hurt, leave before you do something you’ll regret,” he struggled to keep his voice steady.

Ivan chuckled lightly, he stepped back and turned away from Dipper. “In this day and age it is difficult for some people to know their place, often times, it must be taught to them. No demon should ever hold power over us, no unwanted thought should reside within our minds, unsavory nether monsters attacking the innocent. Above all, however, are the horrors of human nature. Women should know their place in society, that includes you.” His movements were fast as he turned around and slapped Dipper across the cheek, the force of the blow sending him to the side.

The figures holding on to him let go and he fell to the floor, his body making a dull thunk as he cried out in shock and pain. He lifted a pale hand to cradle his quickly reddening cheek. Water gathered in his eyes, his whole face stinging horrifically. Bill’s heart nearly stopped at the loud smack that resounded in the silence, the whole scene going down just to his left. His head buzzed and his vision cleared, his heart began to pick up its pace.

_ What a fool _ . Fragile figures couldn’t hold him, he couldn’t be bothered by their frail grasps anymore. Tearing free from their hold he shoved everyone back, shocked cries ringing out as he grabbed the closest figure and bent their arm till it snapped, the figure crying out in pain. More hooded figures, losing their hoods in desperation, tried to intervene, the smarter ones began to move away from him. Cool air swept past him as his eyes locked on Ivan as the man stood over a shaking Dipper.

No one could touch him, no one could move, he wouldn’t allow them that. No one was allowed to leave until he was done. Not even Ivan seemed to be able to take his gaze from Bill as the captain stocked towards him. Where was his sword? No matter now, he didn’t need it, it would be easier to just gouge out those disgusting eyes with his hands. His claws would leave longer lasting impressions. They would all regret ever boarding  _ Mens Scapus _ , or better yet, they wouldn’t live to regret.

Tears fell from Dipper’s eyes as he huddled on the floor, his whole head hurt from the blow, his ears ringing at the disorientation. He could hear people yelling and feel their footsteps across the deck. Jaw aching he didn’t think that he’d be able to open his mouth to even speak. The vibrations from the deck ceased, an eerie feeling falling around him. There was a sudden shift in the magic currents, as if someone was tugging and pushing at it at the same time.

Lifting his head he could see why. Bill’s eyes were once again a distorted color, his irises flashing a multitude of golds and reds, his sclera completely black. He bared his teeth, every part of him zeroing in on Ivan as he stalked forward, every tap of his boots sounding like a promise of death. Something dark and sinister seemed to be coiled up in him, Dipper could almost see the golden tendrils of magic that had everyone frozen in place.

“So you are a demon!” A voice from somewhere to the left called, the same voice belonging to the man who spoke before Ivan. “You filthy disgusting being! I knew I should have tried harder to get you down into that basement, we were ready for you then, we were gonna end you like the sad sod you are, drain you of all your magic and evilness then gut you like a fish.”

Bill had paused in his advances, slowly turning to face the direction the voice had come from. All was still a moment, then Bill began walking towards Ungran, his pace steady, almost calm. Finally he stopped in front of a stout figure, his left arm rising to throw back the hood. Ungran shook ever so slightly, sweat beading on his upper lip, despite his words he was utterly frightened of the person standing in front of him. The sight brought Bill a little joy, after tonight, this foul man would never again take advantage, never again would he spread his cruelty, no more would there be a Molstus Ungran in the world.

Rough wood bit into Dipper’s exposed skin as he struggled to sit up, the same force freezing everyone around him causing fatigue. He could hear that Bill had stopped walking again and tried to see around the other cloaked figures for Bill and the foolish human who had piped up. Getting to his feet he stumbled past a figure, stopping dead as he found Bill towering over another man. The man, Ungran was his name, stood there shaking, the force of the magic bearing down on him. The siren’s heart stuttered as Bill raised his right hand, fingers pointing at the stout man’s chest.

Dipper opened his mouth to tell Bill to stop, but the hand moved faster, Dipper’s voice coming out as a mangled cry instead. The sickening squelch of flesh and the crack of bone shocked him, a cold feeling rolling up his spine as Bill’s hand disappeared into the chest of the man in front of him. Ungran began coughing and sputtering, blood beginning to ooze from the wound, a bit of it also coming from his mouth. Dipper could smell it, a tangy scent, the smell of rust, of blood. It was tainted by the abuse of substances, bitter and unappealing.

Amber eyes watched in horror as Bill pulled the still functioning organ from the man’s chest, more blood spilling from the gaping wound. He could see it, the heart still pumping, trying to do its job but unable to. Ford had once told him that it was possible to watch a human soul disperse from the mortal realm, as it journeyed to judgement. Dipper could see it, the pale face of Ungran slowly greyed, the only thing keeping him on his feet was the golden tendrils only Dipper, and probably the fish crew, could see. The stout man gagged, stuttered, and dragged in a few more breaths before finally crumpling to the deck. A grey wisp of light filtered slowly from his mouth, his eyes growing glassy as it left him. The tendrils seemed to attack it has it left, wrapping around it and batting it down.

With a final batting from the tendrils, the light faded away. The man was gone completely. It felt as though the scene had taken an hour to unfold, while in truth it had probably been less than a minute. Dipper’s heart beat fast, he could hear it in his ears, it nearly stopped as Bill turned to face him, his eyes locking on to Ivan that stood just behind Dipper. He once again began his steady pace toward his original target, his steps sounding far more deadly now that Dipper had seen what he could do. Fear permeated the air, everyone around him sending off waves of regret, desperation, and sadness. It all amounted to fear, he could hear the desperate prayer of a man to his right, his voice wavering as he spoke in a rushed whisper, pleading to his god for forgiveness.

He needed to do something, he had to intervene, if he could stop Bill like he did before then maybe some of these people wouldn’t have to suffer. Trying to step forward, Dipper found that he couldn’t move, the same gold waves of magic pressing in on him from all sides. Bill was within arms length, but he could hardly turn his head let alone reach out to stop him. His chest was suddenly cold, chilled fear gripping at his ribs, squeezing them in as if to crush the very organs they protect.

“B-Bill,” he choked on the name, “p-please don't, don't hurt them.”

The captain seemed to pause a moment, those eyes turning to stare at Dipper. The siren's own eyes watered a bit, Bill's seemed so void of emotion, intent with only one purpose. These were the eyes so many people must have peered into right before they died, these eyes belonged to soulless creatures, this wasn't Bill, how could it be when they were so devoid of all light? He didn't blink as he looked at Dipper, though his brows furrowed, as if he was trying to comprehend something but was having trouble grasping at it. Lifting his still bloody hand, he touched Dipper's cheek, wiping away a fallen tear but leaving a bloody smudge instead. He had to act while he had Bill's attention, all these people were still in great danger and would probably be killed if he didn't do something to get Bill back. For a moment he thought he could see Bill's eyes flash to their normal color. The ice in Dipper's chest quelled slightly, he needed to fix things before they could escalate any further. Bill said the beast was calm with him, so maybe as a siren he could do something about it.

Opening his mouth he let out the first melody that came to him, his heart beat erratically, he really hoped his song would work even though he wasn’t in the water.

“ _ Once there was an honest man _

_ Fallen in love with a bonnie maid _

_ He spread gold and flowers in her hair _

_ A painted veil, she's a painted veil _ ”

The sigh that sounded throughout the ship came slowly, the initial fear ebbing into something a little less chilling. His voice wavered slightly as he sang, only loud enough for Bill and the few people around them to hear.

“ _ He walks in her steps, spies on her dreams _

_ Builds a gilded cage _

_ He's crazy in love with a stranger _

_ This is a fancy in a mirror _ ”

His voice grew steadier as he continued, Bill’s focus fully on him now instead of the cloaked figures, though his eyes remained eerily void.

“ _ He adores her, she's a bird in a cage _

_ And years have gone in despair, his love is vain _

_ Because he's a blind man, he don't know her name _

_ Falling in love with a shadow, a painted veil, a painted veil _ ”

Golden tendrils began to fall from him, fading back to being only visible in the corners of his eyes, less sinister now than before. It became easier to breathe, Dipper could feel the cool breeze from the ocean, his ears popping from the release of pressure.

“ _ Once there was a noble man _

_ Fallen in love with a wealthy maid _

_ He stole gold and diamonds from her hands _

_ A painted veil, it's a painted veil _ ”

Bill finally blinked, his brows no longer furrowed in confusion. Dipper could almost start crying again over relief that his natural magic still worked. He could hear the others begin to fall under his spell.

“ _ And he locks her in silence and shade _

_ Builds a gilded cage _

_ He's crazy in love with a stranger _

_ This is a fancy in a mirror _ ”

He remembered when Ford taught Mabel and him about a siren’s gift, the lesson seemed silly as a siren’s song didn’t work on other sirens and they were much too young to hunt with the others at the time. Now he was grateful toward the old man, all of his lessons were important, like the water kiss and the usefulness of the vents. It felt so melancholy and his heart ached a little.

“ _ He adores her, she's a bird in a cage _

_ And years have gone in despair, his love is vain _

_ Because he's a blind man, he don't know her name _

_ Falling in love with a shadow, a painted veil, a painted veil _ ”

This particular song had been Stan’s favourite, he once spoke of a woman who used to sing it to him. She apparently had been human and their love was doomed to fail, but there were times he caught his great uncle humming the tune or singing the lyrics under his breath.

“ _ Once there was a young pretty maid _

_ She saw her face on the bright water _

_ She spent days and years staring at herself _

_ A painted veil, she's a painted veil _ ”

Dipper felt cold, the oppressive magic completely gone. Bill’s eyes were lidded, only the barest hint of unnatural color visible. The siren felt a great deal more confident, he could now hear the scuffling of the fish crew’s feet as they regained their senses. He inwardly applauded himself on choosing that school of fish.

“ _ She's lost her soul, she's lost her dreams _

_ Building a gilded cage _

_ She's crazy in love with a stranger _

_ This is a fancy in a mirror _ ”

The figures on board who weren’t a part of the crew began to slump, a few falling to the deck of the ship. Even Bill swayed, his eyes now fully closed, Dipper reached out and steadied him, his fingers cold. Everything seemed so cold suddenly. Could something be wrong?

“ _ I adore her, she's a bird in a cage _

_ The years have gone in despair, my love is vain _

_ Because she's a blind lady, she don't know my name _

_ Falling in love with a shadow, a painted veil, a painted veil _ ”

The final phrase was almost frantic, fear gripping in Dipper’s chest as Bill fell fully against him and they crumpled to the deck. He shivered as he gripped the captain, every hair standing on end as he was filled with trepidation. Most of the cloaked men lay on the deck, a few crew members beginning to drag them over over the plank of wood to the doc, depositing them there.

“What are you?” Dipper froze at the voice from behind him, whipping around to look at Ivan. The man’s eyes filled with fear as he knelt behind the siren, eyes filled with fear as he gazed at the young man.

“I’m Dipper, the one who raised the ship. I’m a siren, and you and your society should forget ever coming aboard this ship, forget about what you saw here. Just leave us alone.” Somehow he managed to keep his voice steady, the cold making it even harder not to stutter.

“Y-yes, of course,” Ivan stuttered out as he stood.

Something in his eyes seemed off, as if they were glassed over. The few cloaked men still left on the ship rose to join their comrades on the dock, as if they were possessed. He gripped Bill a little tighter, watching the Society begin to walk almost unified down the dock and away from the ship. Cold wind bit at his face and the siren closed his eyes, leaning his head against Bill. He felt so wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So tell me, how many of you saw this coming?
> 
> Please adore my beta, she deserves all the love, all of it! [TinyGhost](http://palemarriage.tumblr.com/)
> 
> The song is [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmJVo_YazDg), it's a good one!
> 
> Again, there is an [official blog](http://diyd.tumblr.com/) for this fic.
> 
> Also, as many of you may have noticed, I'm going to be picking back up on some of my back burner fics. I'd like to have it be sooner rather than later, but I'm a busy bee with summer school and mental health. My arm is a wreck from a meningitis shot I got on wednesday, so woo! ~~not really oh god it hurts to move my arm~~. So just a warning in case I end up lagging behind on updating this fic. I'd really like to work some more on DLYHPYS, because it's grand!
> 
> That is all, again, let me know what you think, feel free to message me at [my tumblr](http://ira-evanee.tumblr.com/)


	14. We're Both Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “But it was there, I could literally see it hold those men down, it was incredibly powerful natural threads of magic. You were somehow manipulating it in your state, it followed your drive, it was aiding you so it had to be yours!”  
> “Huh, I guess that makes us both some sort of unnatural creature,” Bill replied, capping the bottle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a whole lot is explained, chapter makes things even more confusing, good luck buddies.

Searing pain tore through Bill’s skull as light filtered into the cabin. Yelping, he gripped his head in both hands and curled in on himself. Did he really drink so much that it felt like some lumber dragger was beating him upside the head with the sharp end of their hatchet? Last time he had a hangover this bad was when he and Tad took care of some nasty bar attendants and were allowed all the rum they could ever want, courtesy of the owner. Where was Tad anyway? He usually didn’t drink as much and would wait, ready for when Bill finally woke with some water and herb remedy.

Rubbing his eyes he sat up and squinted, looking around the room. It seemed bare, exceedingly so, his heart stopped for a moment. Tad wasn’t here, things were missing, his head felt like someone had clocked him cold. He fell twice as he raced for the door to his cabin, throwing it open and stumbling onto the deck. Sunlight felt like a smack to the face as he staggered out of his quarters. There didn’t seem to be anyone around, Amorphis wasn’t in the rigging, Eyebat didn’t appear in the crow’s nest. He was panicked, where was everyone? It should be almost noon, according to the sun’s position, and there was no one.

At the sound of footsteps he whipped around, coming face to face with a boy with brown amber eyes. The boy seemed to shrink back, eyes filled with worry and, was that concern? He seemed vaguely familiar, something in his eyes, or perhaps the way he held himself in such an upright posture, almost awkward on his feet as he cautiously approached him.

“Bill? Are you feeling okay?” He lifted a hand and Bill flinched back.

The boy quickly retracted his hand, as if he’d been burned.

“Where,” Bill’s voice was raspy and he cleared it before speaking again, though his throat was sore. “Where is my brother? My crew? Who, who are you?”

The boy seemed to pale, his eyes blown wide. “I-I’m Dipper, your first mate? We just left Port L'orient, we visited your friends the Valentinos. Do you,” he paused and licked his lips, “Do you remember?”

“No,” Bill spoke bluntly, “I don’t.”

Dipper flinched at that, eyes going downcast as his hands fidgeted. He turned his face to his left, looking out over the water. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t, it wasn’t…” he trailed off, biting his trembling lip as his eyes teared up.

Taking a closer look, Bill could see the boy’s face was slightly swollen, as if he’d been hit rather hard very recently, purple hints lined the skin beneath his left eye, just at the corner. Bill’s headache seared and he stumbled back, clutching at his head and screwing his eyes shut. He saw a scene play out, the man striking a figure and sending them to the floor, it played over and over in his head, causing a bout of anger to rise in his chest. His hands ached to tear the offender apart. How dare he even look at Pine Tree like that!

“Pine Tree?” He looked up, the pain ebbing away slightly. Pine Tree, Dipper, his first mate, the third he'd ever had.

The boy whipped back around to face him. “Yes?”

“You… You changed out of your dress, and, and the society?” Wow, very eloquent Cipher, then again his head was jumbled.

Tad was long gone, safe. His crew, god, they were with Gideon, that weasel! Dipper, what had happened to the society? He remembered killing Ungran, was his deck still covered in the filth’s blood? After that he went to kill Ivan, the man deserved to feel pain for hurting his Pine Tree. Then, then Dipper had tried to stop him again, he’d called out. He remembered stopping, he wanted to see if he was okay, even as a part of him yearned for bloodshed he needed to know if Dipper was okay, he couldn’t lose the only person who could help him. They had a deal, a promise, it couldn’t be broken. How did he manage to forget so many years of his life? What the hell happened? Dipper had opened his mouth and, and then it all became blurry, he couldn’t be sure but there was music, a song. Did Dipper sing?

“You sang, you,” Bill looked Dipper in the eye, the boy’s face riddled with guilt. “You saved all those people…”

Dipper nodded, “I had to, you’d never be welcomed back there if you’d killed so many.”

“They deserved to die, Pine Tree,” Anger bubbled in his chest again.

“No, Ungran deserved death, not one as brutal as he got, but at least he’s gone. The others, the others were just following orders.”

“And Ivan? That brute smacked you to the deck! You’re okay with that? You’re okay with some, some asshole knocking you around like some plaything to fulfill their own moronic beliefs!?” His voice raised almost to a yell.

“No, of course not, but they should be dealt with by someone who isn’t a pirate. For all we know he could be some loveable person to other people, and you’re already being hunted. For now people either fear you or think you’re dead, you don’t need anymore enemies. They had unnatural magic about them, they could be dangerous if united with a common purpose and Ivan said that there were more of them. I don’t want to see you hurt Bill, you’re my friend.”

Bill huffed and turned from Dipper, hands rising to his hips as he shifted from foot to foot. “What did you,” he paused, turning his head to look at Dipper, “What did you even do?”

Dipping his head the siren shrugged slightly, “I don’t know, I just did the only thing I thought I could do at the time. I’ve only ever used the siren’s song for hunting, it doesn’t work on any of our kind so… so I don’t really know what affect it has on people. Every time great uncle Ford talked about a human he would end up going off on a rant about how dangerous and terrible they were, he could go on forever if Stan didn’t stop him.”

Dipper rubbed his arm, eyes still downcast and Bill sighed as he let his arms drop. “Did any of the crew help you out or were they affected as well?”

“No, remember how I said it was a special school of fish? They’re just as unaffected by a siren’s song as other sirens.” Dipper continued to fidget before looking up to meet Bill’s eyes. “First Scale actually asked me if I could get you, she wants to see how bad things are.” The siren grimaced, “I’m so sorry Bill, I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, I was acting without thinking and ended up hurting you.” His eyes stung.

Bill could feel a spike of panic sear through his chest. “No no no, wait, hey, look at me Pine Tree.” He reached out to hold Dipper’s shoulders. “I get it, okay? You were scared, you have every right to be scared. I’m not mad at you, I’m upset because I don’t think that those men deserved to be saved. However,” he paused and let out a sigh, “I guess I can understand why you didn’t want me to deal out justice, and I can see that you’re upset about it. But, you don’t have to cry, it’s not like you knew what would happen, not your fault my mind’s a little jumbled. Besides, if I got hit with this then so did those pricks, man, kinda wish I could see that,” Bill trailed off into a chuckle.

Dipper cracked a small smile, though it didn't reach his eyes, “So, you’re not mad at me?” His voice was small, heavy hope laced into every word.

The captain smirked, the right corner of his mouth higher than the left. “Still miffed I didn’t get to tear Ivan a new one, but I’m not angry with you.” He reached up to touch Dipper’s bruise, the siren flinching at the contact. “I’ll put some salve on this, it looks like it hurts quite a bit.”

The siren nodded. “Yeah, that’d be nice, First Scale looked over it but it’s just a bruise so there wasn’t a whole lot she could do.”

“Well, it won’t go away with the salve but at least it won’t hurt anymore.” Bill lead Dipper back to the cabin.

“I wonder why so much of your memory was jumbled when you woke up,” Dipper pondered aloud as Bill fished out the salve from the shelf. “Could it have something to do with your being in such a concentrated magical state?”

“I only understood half of that, what do you mean by concentrated state?”

“You were using magic to hold everyone still, not even the crew could move, that’s why I sang instead of physically intervening like last time. Now that I think about it, those tendrils of gold magic must have been what knocked around Robbie as well.”

“Hang on Pine Tree,” Bill opened the jar and took some of the salve on his fingertips, “I don’t have natural magic, humans can’t use it like that, we have to draw it in from around us.” He smoothed some across and around the bruise on Dipper’s eye.

“But it was there, I could literally see it hold those men down, it was incredibly powerful natural threads of magic. You were somehow manipulating it in your state, it followed your drive, it was aiding you so it had to be yours!”

“Huh, I guess that makes us both some sort of unnatural creature,” Bill replied, capping the bottle. “My head’s still pounding like a drum, so I’m going to put off thinking about that and instead visit our little friend, there are some other things we need to discuss as wel-” his stomach growled.

Dipper snorted, “First, we're getting food into your system. I'm guessing you haven't eaten since the last time we were together.”

“Your assumption is spot on little tree.”

The siren nodded curtly, “Figured, after that we should talk to First Scale, she might know what's going on with both of us. Perhaps it's just some sort of fluke that your head got messed with, maybe the gold waves had something to do with it.”

Amber eyes clouded over with thought, a thumb nail finding its way to rest on Dipper’s bottom lip. Bill sighed and snapped his fingers in front of Dipper’s face, successfully regaining the siren’s attention. Dipper’s cheeks flushed and he ducked his head mumbling an apology before clutching Bill’s shirt sleeve and pulling him down to the mess hall.

As was the new habit, or the regular one to everyone but Bill, the hall was practically desolate, the crew at their respective stations already. To be honest, Bill was having a hard time even noticing they were there. Dipper’s impromptu fish crew was efficient in their own rights, diligent and helpful, but they were nothing like Bill’s crew. They all kind of reminded him of Tad, total squares in personality, outwardly lacking any sort of depth. It was almost eerie how detached they were from the ship. An antsy feel always jittered in Bill’s stomach when he thought about it.

Despite all the awkward and unsettling vibes constantly emanating from the fish crew, their service was definitely quality. Bill munched in silence on the bread and eggs the cook had made, a quick throw together that didn’t make his stomach churn. His first mate sat on the bench beside him, flipping through the pages of the journal. The off white shirt the siren wore was definitely new, not a spec of dirt yet visible on the slightly ruffled sleeves. For a while Bill wondered if at some point they’d managed to go out to get the boy clothes, but he couldn’t remember it, and it didn’t fit in with anything else.

A headache still made itself known right behind his eyes, the silent halls a welcomed bliss as he finished off his food. Leaning forward he let his elbows rest on the table, cradling his head in his hands as his mind wandered.

Upon leaving Ungran’s hovel, he visited a few more folk, managing to get a cow, some chickens, lots of feed, a few barrels of rations, a fair amount of beans, plums were in good quality as well. They ended up not needing anything from Ungran, the townspeople were quite generous in what they gave Bill, wishing him safe travel and better luck. It was incredibly humiliating to have an entire town cast their pity on him, even some of the children approaching him to stick clovers in his coat pockets.

He had rounded up some of the fish crew to help him get everything back to the ship. Reaching a hand into his pocket he pulled out a few of the wilting green weeds, pinching the stems between his fingertips, staining them green. The scent of stale dew and cut grass faintly wafted from the dying plant. Now that he was a little more composed he could actually think about what Dipper had talked about before hand.

Sure, Bill could conduct magic, wield it to a certain extent even, draw it in from around him and manipulate it to do his will. What Dipper was suggesting was absurd, impossible, only creatures of the old world had natural magic. Dipper, as a siren, was one such creature, capable of seeing the natural magic of the world, as well as that of other powerful magical beings. He had no doubt that if faced with a harpie in disguise, Dipper could distinguish them as not being human. So Dipper saying that he believed Bill had natural magic, he was a little more than worried. It didn’t help that so many things were going wrong, his beast acting weird and the head case, though perhaps that was more Dipper’s doing.

His head problem posed another possible obstacle, Dipper’s song somehow affected him so horrendously, and it seemed sad and felt wrong, but Bill hoped it was just Dipper’s magic and not Bill’s own mind finally imploding. The last thing everyone needed was Bill cracking completely and losing all sense of humanity, that would make everything so much harder. It was impossible for Bill to have magic of his own, he’d have to be either a monster or some hybrid, and both of his parents were human. He’d never met a real demon before, so it was pointless to assume he might have lost his soul and gained not so human traits.

A cold feeling fell over him, could he really be possessed? The beast certainly seemed ethereal and nefarious enough. However, Bill was always in full control, or at least in control of his actions while being driven by utter rage and enmity. He couldn’t see that part of him hosting any sort of its own magic. There was the voice in his head, but it was always just a voice, having no true power over Bill other than being an annoying ear biter.

_ Watch yourself Cipher, I can make your headache so much worse if I want to. _ He had to go and think the metaphorical devil’s name.  _ Relax you geometrical failure, I’m just as achy as you are, if not more since I don’t have a real body and therefor no way to relieve any pain. _ Obviously, you’re making less sense than normal, a feat previously not thought possible. _ D̢͢͜O҉̀͘ ͝NÓT̡͟͞ make any mind jokes. _ Bill flinched at the volume of the demand, curling his fingers into a fist around the clovers. A deep sigh resounded in Bill’s skull, the voice sounding tired and just a little annoyed.  _ Look, William, there is quite a bit you don’t know, and if you want the honest truth? You do not want to know, it’s inevitable to not let the beast free, but you also need to handle your rage in that state, if you don’t, bad things could happen. _

A hand landing on his shoulder startled Bill from his mind, head turning to find the well worn fingers of an older person lightly gripping him. Looking up his eyes met pale green ones, the pupil a little flat and odd.

“First Scale, I didn’t see you there!” Dipper closed his book, eyes trained on the woman, a small smile gracing his lips.

“Good afternoon, young master, are you and our captain ready to discuss the latest happenings? You expressed your concern to me earlier and asked if there was anything I might be able to help with.”

“Yes, please, if you have any sort of information for us we’d be absolutely ecstatic.”

Bill only nodded, thoughts still lingering on what the voice had to say. He stood when Dipper did, following them to Dipper’s quarters, per First Scale’s request. Something felt off, as if he was on the cusp of some world shattering truth but was just enough off that he didn’t know where to find the answer he wanted.  _ By the gods, don’t look for the answer. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Send my beautiful beta all the love! [TinyGhost](http://palemarriage.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Visit the [blog](http://diyd.tumblr.com/) for art and to ask more questions!
> 
> Leave a comment! I usually answer! Even if it's just mindless rambling, i sometimes enjoy those the most.


	15. The Rescue Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A weight felt like it has been eliminated from her, proverbial chains weren’t just broken, they were obliterated, and for the first time she was breathing. Mabel was breathing air.

Had anyone told Mabel that one day her brother would go missing and that she would be left completely and utterly alone without her twin, she’d probably laugh and shrug it off, maybe even deck the person. As it were, she was currently seated with Candy and Grenda in the family room waiting quietly for Stan and Ford to return from wherever they had gone. Squished between her two closest friends on the family room’s biggest lounge cushion, she had time to think.

Both Stan and Ford had left the Wreck in a hurry, going off to look for Dipper as well as Ford’s missing journals, another thing they discovered after Dipper’s purposed disappearance. Wendy’s friends Nate, Lee, and Melody had stopped by to check up once, informing Mabel that they hadn’t seen Dipper but would keep looking. An empty feeling filled her gut as time went on, the water temperature cooling around her as she huddled between Candy and Grenda.

Fear, she felt fear, an awful feeling of dread and loneliness writhed in her stomach, hollowing out a place there to make its home. Her eyes stung and her face was blotched with red, mucus was building up and oozing from her nose. Grenda had a few wipes to clear it up but it kept coming. Shaking every few minutes or so, Mabel sat not saying a word. A teal and lavender tentacle came up to wipe her face again, a few others wrapped around her for comfort.

“I’m sure we’ll find him, Mabel, even if we have to travel the seas of the world, we will be sure to get Dipper back!” Candy piped up, her voice loud in the silence of the room.

“Oh Candy,” Mabel shuddered, “This is so awful! I feel terrible, like something really bad is about to happen and I have no idea what it could be!”

“Don’t worry Mabel, I’ll punch whoever hurt your brother in the face!” Grenda spoke, raising her clenched fist. “I’ll even ask Marius to help out, he can have his army here to help us in no time!”

Mabel sniffled and rubbed her face. “Hehe, his army…” she trailed off, “wait,” perking up, the siren wiggled away from her friends into the middle of the room. “Marius’s army!” she turned to face them. “You said that a human ship resurfaced and probably had my brother on board.”

Grenda and Candy shared a confused look before facing Mabel again, the girl near shaking with a formulating plan.

“When we leave the water we shed our scales, or in some cases our skin, and become somewhat human, right?”

“Yes, but that is considered taboo and very dangerous,” Candy pointed out, adjusting the glasses that sat on her face, “The Northwests would never allow such a thing, it could cause too much trouble for Gravity Falls.”

Mabel puffed out her cheeks and huffed, “True, but he’s not a Lord who controls boundaries that go farther than our little community, and they’d never break ties with Marius Von Fundshauser, they’d rather have a crack in their marble mansion! Besides, if we manage to raise one of our own ship wrecks, we need to have a competent crew in order to get us to where we want to go.”

“Isn’t that, like, really reckless though?” Grenda questioned, her head cocking to the side.

“Yes, Grenda, yes it is.”

“Then count me in!” The large woman pumped her fist, slipping off the cushion to join Mabel.

“Guys, this could be really dangerous, I want Dipper to be safe just as much as all of you, but I don’t think he’d just go off with some strange human, he’s too smart for that.” The petite girl rose from the cushion, wrapping her arms around her torso. “Besides, he’d never leave without telling someone, especially not you Mabel.”

Grenda and Mabel stared for a minute before Mabel’s mouth opened in a silent O. “Oh Candy, I’m so sorry,” she swam over and wrapped her arms around her friend, “I always forget that you really like Dipper, gosh, this must be just as terrible for you as it is for me!”

Candy reached under her glasses to rub at her eyes. “It is… disheartening, but I am determined to keep my head about me in this situation. If Dipper is in trouble we need to be fully prepared in order to help him. B-besides,” she stuttered a moment as her cheeks tinted red, “It’s not like he’d ever notice.”

“Alright, that sounds good, but listen to this,” Grenda cut in, flitting over to the other girls, “We get Marius in on this anyway, even if we don’t go to the surface, we can get his men to search for Dipper, since they technically cover a wider range of area anyway.”

“I knew there was a reason you guys are my best friends,” Mabel pulled them into a hug, “We always have each other’s backs, I know we’ll find Dipper, even if it takes a while. And once he’s back we’re going into full matchmaker mode! Love always triumphs!”

A whoosh and current hit the girls lightly as Stan and Ford entered the family room, both looking rather haggard and annoyed. Ford looked ready to take on a shark frenzy, and win. Stan just looked ready to collapse and sleep, as he had been up rather early this morning. Mabel swam over to them and pulled them into a hug.

“So the girls and I have been talking,” Mabel started as she pulled away from her Grunkles, “and Grenda and I have agreed that we should enlist the help of her boyfriend’s soldiers in our search, and possible rescue, of Dipper.”

Stan patted her head and smiled, “That’s good to know sweetie, we’re definitely going to need all the help we can get, though we do know for a fact Dipper isn’t within the bounds of Gravity Falls, maybe not even within the bounds of our mother waters.” His voice took a grim tone, his smile dropping as he spoke.

Mabel visibly drooped, her chest growing ever colder. “I kind of figured, though I had really hoped that wasn’t the case.” She took a deep breath and straightened up. “No matter, this just means we have to be extra ready for whatever we’re up against.”

Swimming further into the room, Ford seemed to inspect the floor before speaking up, “We’re pretty certain that we’re dealing with pirates.”

Three pairs of confused eyes stared back at Ford and Stan rolled his own. “They don’t know what pirates are Poindexter, we never explained to them that there are some humans that are essentially the worst kind of beings that have attempted several times to capture and sell our species to other humans.”

“Stanley! Not so graphic!” Ford scolded.

“Give it to them straight, they deserve to know what we’re up against,” Stan shrugged.

“Yes, but as you can clearly see our niece is still having a rather hard time dealing with the situation, and you and I are no closer to determining the nature of this event. We need to develop a solid plan, a backup plan for that plan, and backup plan if the backup plan falls through.”

Stan facepalmed, a low groan emitting from his throat. “Hey!” Mabel called out, successfully getting their attention. “I may be upset about my brother getting caught by some potentially dangerous bad guy, that doesn’t mean I’m incapable of handling the situation or coming up with a plan to help. Stan just helped me further decide what I initially thought was a good idea!”

“But Mabel, it’s still dangerous,” Candy piped up.

“Yes, but it’ll be even worse for my brother, obviously he’s out of our mother waters, which means he’s probably shed his scales and is very disoriented. We need to get to him and get him home before something bad happens, and we have the resources to do it, Grenda?” Mabel turned to the Cecaelia.

“I’m on it! Marius will help in whatever way he can, I just know it.” With that, the woman was out the door and on her way.

“Plan, what plan? We should be doing the planning together,” Ford spoke, a hint of panic laced in his words.

“Relax Grunkle Ford, Mabel’s got this under control, I know my brother better than anyone. If some thieving human has him, I know he’s going to hold out till we get him, besides, he has your journals!” Mabel spoke, her normal bubbly glee ever present.

“Sweetie, I know you’re capable of many great, seemingly impossible things, but this is one obstacle I think you’d best leave to us, we’ve dealt with humans before and know how they act,” Ford attempted to reason.

“My brother,” Mabel deadpanned, her amber hued eyes staring into Ford’s own. “You have to trust me on this Ford. If you were in my position and it was Stan in the clutches of a human you wouldn’t even wait for permission.”

“She’s got a point there, Sixer.”

“You’re not helping Stanley, this is a dangerous mission we’re undertaking, she could get hurt!”

“Never stopped either of us, besides, she’ll go on her own if we don’t let her come with, and it’s through her friend we’ll be having extra hands, and we need them,” Stan talked as he headed into the kitchen and began opening the cupboards filled with cans.

“Stan, now is not the time for your apocalypse rations!” Ford followed Stan into the kitchen, both Mabel and Candy trailing behind.

“You and Mabel start cooking up plans, and I’ll start gathering materials.”

“If I might make a suggestion,” Candy spoke before Ford could argue. All heads turned to look at her. “If pirates are as dangerous as you say they are, how do we protect ourselves against them? Wouldn’t it be beneficial to learn as we go along? As we travel to find Dipper we should learn all we can about the beings who have him. It would be ill advised to go approach these humans with only two of us knowing what we’re up against.”

Any further conversation was interrupted as a wave of green and red swam into the room. “I’ve got the recruits you asked me to get Mr. Pines!” Wendy called out.

The kitchen became a little crowded as Nate, Lee, and Melody made their way into the room. Stan smiled at his employee, the girl puffing up her chest under the old fish’s proud gaze.

“Good, very good, now,” Stan faced his brother, “How’s about that plan?”

Ford sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Alright, alright, let’s move into the family room, there’s more space in there, and Candy, you’re right, and we’ll be addressing that issue as we plan.”

The sirens filed out of the kitchen into the family room, the patrons claiming empty cushions as Ford stopped in front of them. Mabel hovered behind him, her fists clenched with determination and her fins flared. All eyes were on Ford, with exception of Stan, who was still in the kitchen grabbing the cans from the shelves.

“Alright, I know you all have been filled in that Mabel’s brother and my nephew, Dipper, has gone missing. However, it’s not so much missing as he’s been taken by humans, pirates more specifically,” Ford began swimming back and forth as he spoke, a hand on his chin. “Pirates are insidious humans, lacking any form of morals or empathy. This is what makes them so dangerous and unpredictable. A pirate is self serving and usually a very cunning liar. Stan and I have dealt with a few in the past and I must say I would not even wish a pirate to catch the Northwests.”

A grim feeling overtook the room, Nate and Lee sharing a worried look. Melody’s hands were clasped and resting on her tail, a speculative look plastered across her face. Candy fidgeted where she sat, her face contorted in a worried expression.

“I have proposed an idea,” Mabel spoke up, “Grenda’s already on her way to her boyfriend to ask for his assistance, but my idea is to take a group of well equipped and handy folk and fix up a wreck and bring it back to the surface. We’ll have a stronger advantage over these pirates this way. A few soldiers will be stationed in the water to follow us in the ship, that way, once we find them we can take them from all fronts. No one can fight a battle from all sides, and we heal faster than humans anyway. It should be a pretty easy feat if it ends up getting ugly.”

“Maybe, however no one but your great uncles have ever shed their scales, we’ll be disoriented and it will take days for us to properly get our, uhm, feet under us,” Candy spoke. “Besides, we still know very little of the nature of these people, who’s to say we don’t underestimate them and end up taking major damage?”

“I know, but by the time we have the ship resurfaced we’ll already have wasted some time, so while we’re catching up is when we train and prepare ourselves to beat down the pirates,” Mabel countered. “Not to mention we got two Grunks who’ve dealt with these kinds of jerks before, we’ll be ready by the time we catch up.”

“While that’s true, Mabel, there’s a great deal more to being human than just walking and learning how to use a weapon, and those on their own are difficult,” Ford cut in, “There’s the issue of food and clean water, not to mention clothing, we have to be sure we’re fully prepared before we head into this guns ablaze.”

“Guns?” Lee questioned, “But those are so archaic, why would we use guns?”

Ford sighed, shoulders slumping, “The human race is a bit behind in technology, but it’s no huge deal, it just means that we’re slightly more advanced than them and have to modify our weaponry in order to have it function properly above the surface.”

“Hang on just a moment,” Melody finally spoke up, having been fidgeting since the beginning of the conversation. “Why are we speaking of fighting them? Shouldn’t that be used only as a last resort? I mean, we are going to go get back Dipper, not challenge some humans to a petty fight.”

A brief silence overtook the room as everyone considered this.

“I, well, yes. I guess you’re right about that,” Ford mumbled, “but it is a good idea to have them just in case, though we’ll have just the bare essentials, and we’ll be faster if we’re not weighed down.”

Melody nodded, satisfied with the reply. Mabel fidgeted beside ford, her eyes glancing to the doorway every so often.

“Here’s a question, where are we going to find a good enough ship to use?” Nate spoke up from next to Lee.

“You’re sitting in her,” Stan called from the kitchen, “Also, we have well over three hundred cans, I already fixed the enchanted rooms with air pockets and double checked the clean water supply and it’ll last us for a little more than two weeks by Mabel standards, four by mine.”

“Huh, that was fast,” Ford spoke quietly, a little bewildered.

“Family in distress requires maximum speed, attention, and mind work. I refuse to make light of this situation because I am a cynical old man and I don't want to. Also, I made it a habit to check on things at least once a month, you never know when something might happen that requires the ol’ Stan’O’War to get back into action.”

Mabel giggled, her shoulders shaking slightly with the emotion, her smile taking up her face. “Okay, alright,” she stifled her laughter, “So we’re going to use the Mystery Wreck to go after Dipper? Is it stable enough to do that?”

“The Stan’O’War was the craft we used to sail atop the seas before, and she’s a great deal more intact than she appears.” Stan entered the family room. “All we have to do is wiggle our fingers and yell abracadabra, that should do the trick.”

“There’s more to magic than just wiggling your fingers Stanley,” Ford grumbled as he turned to look at the small group in the family room. “Alright, so the basis of the plan is rather simple, we’ll have sea and ship fare, all will be trained in combat using the human weapons I’ve spliced with my own technology, which will probably be harder for you than for Marius’s men.” At a look from Melody Ford tacked on, “the training is just a precaution. We want to be ready for any situation that might befall us. There’s more than one pirate ship out there, not to mention the human sea armies.”

“So we get to learn how to kick ass and fight bad guys?” Nate asked, raising his clenched fists up, staring at Ford with wide eyes.

“Oh, uhm, just learning though. Pirates are pretty nasty, some will even blow themselves up with you if the opportunity arises, it’s not a pretty thing.”

Both Nate and Lee nodded a little solemnly, Melody seeming lost in thought when Wendy spoke up. “Screw those pirate guys! I at least want to punch the captain in the face! Also, if they’re as immoral and horrible as you make them out to be, there’s no real debate on whether or not a fight will occur. We all need to be willing to at least defend ourselves!” She raised a clenched fist to further her point.

“Yeah!” Lee called out, “Wendy! Wendy! Wendy!” He began to chant but was cut off quickly by a look from Melody.

“While that may be true, we should learn more defense than offense, enough to protect us and get Dipper home without any casualty,” Melody argued, folding her arms over her chest.

Wendy rose from her seat to better face the older woman. “That’s stupid! We’re probably going to have to fight our way down into the cargo hold for Dipper! We need to fight!”

Melody rose from her seat, eyes growing a little hard. “I understand your point, but it’s also really dangerous! We need to learn how to protect ourselves, fighting won’t matter if they get the upper hand!”

“They won’t get the upper hand if we know how to fight!”

“Well if-”

“GUYS!” Mabel yelled, gaining both of their attention. “Fighting amongst ourselves isn’t helping Dipper, it will only divide us, we have to work together. We learn how to defend ourselves first, then we learn to fight. As Grunkle Stan always says, block before you hit, you’ll incite more damage because your opponent tires themselves out.”

Hands on her hips, it looked as if Mabel had more to say, but Grenda came swimming into the room. “Guys, we got people ready to go whenever! They even brought along some of their own rations and stuff! Marius is joining us too!” The Cecaelia spoke with elation, the mood in the room lightening significantly.

The slight figure of Marius Von Fundshauser entered the small family room, his shoulders pulled back and his chest puffed, his eyes holding a kind fondness. “Hello Pines family and friends, I hear there has been trouble as of late, concerning a missing member of the house?” His accent was thick as he spoke, but his voice kind and sympathetic.

“Yes, and unfortunately we know he’s been taken by some pretty rotten humans. We’d be really, really happy if you helped us in getting him home,” Ford spoke, approaching the young Lord.

“Of course, any friend of Grenda’s is a friend of mine. I will assist you and bringing Dipper home.”

“Thank you so much! This means a lot to us, Marius,” Mabel spoke, floating beside Grenda.

“Anything for my friends. Now, have we made plans or should I get my council together to make one?”

“That may come in handy later, as for right now we need to get all who are joining us to gather here. We’re going to raise the Mystery Wreck to the surface, it will be our transport in getting us to Dipper. Any able body who is willing to lend us any of their magic, I ask you to help us raise the ship,” Ford addressed the group.

Everyone slowly rose from their seats, each nodding or smiling to show their support. Ford lead everyone out of the shack, a group of Marius’s men waiting for them there. Stan carried a small sack in his arms, a light glow permeating the material. He opened it and handed several glowing stones to his brother who had rejoined him by the side of the ship, the others watching them from a few feet away. Ford began helping place the stones about the ship, their glow giving off poor light in the darkness of the water. The bioluminescence of the sirens lit the water as a few others joined in placing the stones at weak points in the wreck. Once all the stones were placed, the group regathered, watching as light began to seep into previous etchings and spells, causing the ship to give off an almost eerie glow to wash out the light from the town.

Ford floated at the bow of the ship, breathing deeply as he focused his mind on the task. Stan was positioned at the opposite end, cracking his knuckles and looking determined. The rest of the group was assembled at the weak points of the ship, a few pressing their hands to the worn wood. Mabel was by the faded words that proclaimed the ship's original name. She could feel its energy radiating out at her, it felt as restless as the rest of them, eager for action.

They could hear the gentle intake of breath Ford took before he began, his words carried along and throughout the ship. She could feel the water ripple in reply to the spell her great uncle was weaving. Normally it would be Dipper helping Grunkle Ford with spell work, but then, if Dipper was here they wouldn't have to be doing any magic casting. Mabel's heart gave another painful tug, or perhaps it was her natural magic being drawn away by the spell. She could feel the magic prodding at her, as if it was asking permission to take from her to complete the spell. Exhaling slowly, she let her magic begin to flow into the enchantment, her own color mixing with the others. She could feel her friends’ energies, the different colors dancing along to Ford’s chanting.

Water sloshed around her, the force of it beginning to push her away from the ship as it began to rise from the mud it had been resting in since before she can remember. The Stan’O’War groaned and creaked, as if complaining it was too old for such magic. Plops sounded and the water became clouded as the mud was disturbed, a sign the spell was working. The entire ship was alight in markings, a few others joining in on Ford’s repetitive chant. Mabel watched in awe as it rose above them, the magic beckoning her to rise with it. She rose with it, watching as the water and mud was pushed away, the ship mending itself.

The feeling of ice that had previously been filling Mabel’s chest was gone, a gentle warmth flowing through her. Closing her eyes for a moment she felt elated, though it wasn’t her elation. Glimpses of some memory filled her head, though she couldn’t recall what was going on. Bright blue eyes looked into hers, muffled voices spoke, a deal was made. She felt nervous, giddy, worried, but over all, she felt free. A weight felt like it has been eliminated from her, proverbial chains weren’t just broken, they were obliterated, and for the first time she was breathing. Mabel was breathing air.

Shock tore through Mabel first, then pain, then exhaustion. A foreign weight pressed down on her and she curled beneath it, the dry wood she lay on bit into her exposed skin. She was still seeing double, some other memory of this as well as her own. A phantom fabric was laid over her, a voice calling out but she couldn’t understand. She heard Dipper’s name and called for him, her throat sore for some strange reason.

Just as it had come, the visions were gone, and Mabel lay on the deck of the Stan’O’War, wide eyed and concerned. Had she just seen what Dipper had gone through just a few hours before? If that was the case, what state was he in now? It felt like she’d passed out, the exhaustion still clinging to her incessantly, though it felt duller now, more her own.

A familiar creased hand was extended in front of the young siren’s face as a heavy fabric was draped over her. Taking her great uncle’s hand she stood slowly, wobbling on her legs. Her legs! Looking down she nearly giggled at the sight. The skin was rosy and pink, the breeze from the sea causing fine hairs to raise. Mabel clutched Stan who grunted beneath her weight as he brought her over to a few crates and sat her down. He immediately rejoined his brother in helping the others who seemed to be in a similar state as Mabel. Dazed looks adorned her friends’ faces as her great uncles easily navigated the ship and helped them over to decent resting places, throwing blankets over them as they went.

Stan and Ford wore cloaks, long worn fabric that had frayed slightly with time and use, their colors a tad dingy than what they originally were. Instead of looking dazed, they looked determined, brows drawn together as they assisted the disoriented crew. She could hear their steady steps patter on the wooden deck of the ship. Looking up, Mabel held in a gasp. No longer was the ship in tatters, the torn sails no longer shabby, but flapping whole in the breeze. The chipped wood of the main mast was no longer splintered, Dipper’s etches stood out starkly against the strong lumber.

The whole ship felt stronger, and in turn, her grunkles appeared younger. They were in their element, this was normal to them. She could see it in the way the corner of Stan’s mouth lifted slightly and how every so often Ford would take a deep breath and let his shoulders sag ever so slightly. This was home, even she could feel the nostalgic sense of belonging, as if the ship was reassuring them that all was well. Mabel felt warm, she felt safe. All the foreign sounds and smells that surrounded her now didn’t bother her.

Taking a deep breath she stood, tightening the blanket around her shoulders Mabel took a step forward. Her foot connected solidly with the deck, she shifted her weight and moved her other foot to brace herself. She repeated the maneuver until she’d crossed to the other side railing of the deck. Sound of the water lapping at the ship’s sides had her looking down. A few of Marius’s men could be seen just below the surface, circling the ship.

Someone cleared their throat behind her and she turned to face Stan, the man’s eyes gazing over the sea that glittered in the moonlight.

“It’s beautiful up here, I’ve always wanted to show you and your brother how gorgeous the sky can be.” His voice was low and a bit melancholic. “Dipper would love the stars, after all, it’s what his birthmark is a symbol of. You both were always meant to travel, it’s a Pines thing.”

“I’m sure he’s been able to see some of the sky,” Mabel tried to comfort him. “Where is the constellation he has on his forehead?”

Stan smiled and stood closer to her, eyes skyward before he lifted his hand and pointed. “There it is, the Ursa Major.”

Following with her eyes, Mabel could make out the familiar pattern in the sky. It was gorgeous. The stars twinkled as if they were winking at them, knowing some secret but not willing to tell. Exhaling slowly, Mabel closed her eyes.

“We will find him, and he will be fine, I know he will.” Her voice came out steady and sure, she knew he was going to be fine.

She would wait to tell her grunkles about the vision she’d had, for now, the crew needed tending and the ship needed maintaining. Turning she opened her eyes and smiled at Stan. Her great uncle smiled back, clapping a hand on her shoulder. Both turned and headed back to the crew to what they could to to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After two weeks of neglect, I have returned!
> 
> Please send all the love to my [beta!](http://palemarriage.tumblr.com/) without her I would be at a loss.
> 
> There is art over at the [fic blog](http://diyd.tumblr.com/)


	16. Give it to Me Straight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill seemed to pale slightly and coughed awkwardly. “You could call it seasonal sickness, but Dipper, you do know what a monthly is right? A period?”  
> “A period of time?”  
> “Oh my gods you have no clue,”

It was disconcerting, having Bill wake up with no memory of the last few years. Dipper could hardly imagine how shaken Bill must feel at the prospect. He had a nasty feeling that the conversation they’d had with First Scale didn’t help. For most of the conversation Bill had been rather quiet, only voicing a few of his concerns, otherwise mostly lost in thought. First Scale admitted that the memory lapse wasn’t a normal siren ability, at that Dipper had watched Bill stiffen a little, eyes downcast and hard. It irked Dipper that they had no idea why it had happened, even more so when Bill didn’t comment on it and stopped talking afterwards.

That had been almost a week ago, and now Dipper lay on his side in his cabin, the setting sun casting an orange glow in the room as he mulled over what they’d discussed. He shifted trying to get comfortable, his back protesting as he moved. Maybe he was getting sick? It was close to the end of summer which meant the seasonal sickness was well on its way. Though normally he starts aching towards the end of the sick spell. Grumbling he ended up rolling onto his stomach, trying to concentrate on what they’d discussed to see if there was anything they might have missed.

A sharp pain tore through his abdomen and he curled in on himself with a shocked gasp. Groaning, Dipper tucked his head between his knees, willing the pain to abate. The cabin door creaked as it was opened and the familiar sound of Bill’s boots approach him. He lifted his head, frowning at the older man as he struggled to sit up without wincing.

“You okay there, Pine Tree? Look like you’re having some trouble,” Bill asked as he sat down at the edge of the bed.

“M’fine,” Dipper grumbled, “Just feeling achy.” He rubbed at an eye and glared at the floor.

“Achy as in ‘I trained for six hours yesterday’ or as in ‘I want to eat but then I’ll throw up’ achy?”

“Uhm, second one?”

Bill hummed and pressed his palm against Dipper’s forehead, the siren stiffening at the contact. _Too close, too close, what if he-_

“You don’t have a fever,” Bill spoke and let his hand drop. “Though you do look a little flushed, can I ask where you ache?”

Dipper turned to Bill and raised a brow. “Just my lower back and abdomen, it’s probably just seasonal sickness getting a head start.”

Bill seemed to pale slightly and coughed awkwardly. “You could call it seasonal sickness, but Dipper, you do know what a monthly is right? A period?”

“A period of time?”

“Oh my gods you have no clue,” Bill groaned as he facepalmed.

“Is this like an omen of death? Some time shit happens? I am so confused.”

“Okay no, nothing like that, this pain is incredibly normal, happens to girls every month.” Bill gave Dipper a pained look. “I should not have to be the one telling you this but I guess sirens don’t reproduce like humans do.”

“What does seasonal sickness have to do with reproduction!?” Dipper’s face was aflame, Bill’s own cheeks reddening.

“It’s not seasonal sickness, it’s a period, a very normal thing that happens to all human women at a certain point in their life and the cycle lasts till some later point in life, but that’s beside the point!”

“I got none of that.”

“Okay, so a period is a monthly occurrence that only women experience. The aching part, which you’re experiencing right now, means that your pelvic bones are shifting to shed your uterus walls.” Dipper’s face screwed up in horror as he listened to Bill. “The reason for that is because there is a layer of blood and other bodily junk I don’t know about, coating the walls of the uterus. That’s there because women grow babies there, which, is irrelevant to the period but it exists for that purpose. Since there’s no baby, your body has to get rid of all the decaying stuff in there.”

Dipper looked ready to hurl, his shoulders shook and his eyes were blown wide, jaw slack and hanging open just a bit. “How the heck does it come out!?” His voice cracked, afraid to know the answer.

Gesturing to his pelvis, Bill’s face screwed up into an uncomfortable grimace. “The vagina hole? You’re asking someone who’s never had a uterus, I only know this much because of the few female crew members in my crew. It’s an absolute nightmare because all of them are synced.”

“You mean human women have no control over their ability to give birth?”

“Well yeah, don’t you sirens have something similar?”

“No!” Dipper leaned in, his brows furrowing. “Siren women choose whether or not to reproduce, if something like this happened in the water do you have any idea how many predators that could attract!?”

“Wow, your species is advanced, hats off to you.”

“How do I stop this!?”

“You can’t, all you can do is live through it until it ends, I have some herbs and ointments that will help with the aching, and there should be some sterile cloths, the blood flow is pretty heavy about a day in.” Bill slid off the bed and headed for the door.

“What did human women do to deserve this kind of pain!?”

Pausing at the door, Bill looked over his shoulder to reply, “Some say that women were once mermaids and this is punishment for leaving the sea.” With that, the captain quickly slipped out the door.

“I can see why!” Dipper called out after him, flopping back on the bed and groaning again.

Knocking sounded from the door and it creaked as it was opened slowly, it couldn’t be Bill then. Dipper lifted his head to find the crew cook in the doorway, Soos. He tried to smile kindly at the large man, judging by the look on Soos’s face he wasn’t doing too well.

“Hey Dipper, just wanted to check up on ya, and my grandma wanted me to give you this,” He walked into the room and held up a small glass bottle filled with green and purple capsules. “She said something about remedies and sharp pains, but if I’m being honest she lost me at comfort foods.” The man chuckled.

Dipper slipped off the bed and gingerly took the bottle from Soos, giving the man a more genuine smile. “Thanks Soos, you and your grandmother have been really helpful these last two weeks.” He walked over to the far wall and placed the bottle on the shelf unit there. “You wouldn’t happen to know if she’s found anything else on the incident?”

Soos shook his head, “We’re all really baffled, I mean, even I wanted to fall asleep! The floors hadn’t been cleaned either, not that that’s a problem, but it’s good to have standards and I’ve always considered a level of cleanliness to be one of mine, to an extent,” he rambled.

Familiar footsteps sounded as Bill came back into the room carrying a box under his arm and cradling a few glass bottles in the other. He nodded at Soos before setting the objects down on the desk that rested by the window. Like his sister, Bill was always quick to action when it concerned anything healthwise.

Bill didn’t necessarily coddle him like Mabel often did, but he did take swift action where he was concerned. The captain cared, he cared about Dipper despite not knowing him for very long, and he cared about the crew even though they were nothing like his own. He could see it in the way Bill talks about them, the way he talks about his brother, they’re all a family, a misfit group of unnatural beings brought together to protect one another. Dipper didn’t doubt that Bill valued the lives of his brother and crew over his own, he’d discovered his beast in an attempt to save them.

A hand waving in front of Dipper’s face caught his attention and he snapped into focus, Bill was giving him a worried look as he waved to get the younger man’s attention. He looked into the older man’s eyes and found genuine concern, it reminded him briefly of Ford’s constant warnings about humans and their deceitfulness. He couldn’t see it in Bill, he didn’t doubt the captain’s ability to lie and deceive, but here, he was an open book, and Dipper wanted to read him cover to cover.

“So,” Dipper drew out the word before swallowing a lump in his throat, “How exactly does one go about this?” He was completely certain that all the blood rushed to his head to permanently paint his cheeks red.

“I’m just gonna, you know, get back to my duties,” Soos mumbled as he shuffled for the door, “I’ll tell my abuelita you said thanks!” With that the man was gone, leaving the captain and first mate in an awkward silence.

Bill cleared his throat and opened the box he’d brought and promptly shut it. “You know, let’s start with the meds, nip the pain in the bud before it grows worse, yeah?”

Dipper nodded his assent probably a little too quickly, his head rushing once he stopped. Bill picked up the bottle First Scale had sent with Soos, uncorking the bottle and pulling out a capsule. He broke the case to examine the herbs contained in it before humming his assent and pulling out two more and handing them to Dipper. The siren raised a brow at the captain’s actions and the man just gave him a shrug in response.

“Wanted to know what was in them, not a crime unless it’s been made into written law, then I would’ve just broken it on principle.” The captain grinned, eyes crinkling at the corners.

Chuckling, the siren shook his head. “At least you don’t swallow foreign pills.”

“A good thing, wouldn’t want some slippery eel to get the better of you,” Dipper chuckled before swallowing the capsules dry, cringing a little at the dry herb taste. “Hope this doesn’t kill me.”

“The pills or the period?”

“Both.”

“Yeah, neither of those will kill you, though I’ve been told that there are times death was preferable.”

Dipper shot a dark look at Bill. “Tell me where I have to shove the blood cloth,” he deadpanned.

Bill made a choking sound, stumbling a step back from Dipper. “I did this to myself,” he whined, “I should not be the one doing this, I have no qualification for anything regarding this.”

He reached into the box and pulled out the rolled up cloth from before, it wasn’t huge but it looked odd. Bill faced Dipper and grimaced.

“Okay, anatomy lesson one, you’ve generally gotten the idea of female human anatomy in that there are three orifices. The poop hole, the piss hole, and the sex hole. God I sound like a tool,” Bill groaned as his hand found his face in another facepalm.

He took a deep breath and let it out, his hand falling from his face as he continued. “Look, you take this cloth and shove it in the sex hole to catch the blood coming out, change it when necessary and wash the cloth out before using it again. These haven’t been used so there’s no need to pull that face with me!”

Dipper’s face was a mix of disgust and trying not to laugh. “The sex hole? Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Okay, fine, it’s called a vagina. Do you want me to name all the parts of the female anatomy scientifically? I will name them all if you continue giving me that look.”

“Please don’t, I already don’t want to hear about periods, they sound like a god’s curse on the female population.”

“Nah, just means your body can reproduce. A frightening prospect, like, women can literally create life. They’re on some supreme level compared to the men of the human world. I admire and fear them.”

“Odd coming from a human.”

“I had two different mothers, one learns to appreciate all they do for you when they can. It’s honestly disgusting how so many men of this world think women are some prize or toy,” Bill’s voice grew solemn, “they’re people too. Some of my best crew members are female, wouldn’t have them any other way.”

Dipper’s expression softened into a small smile. “Do you miss them?”

“I miss all my family, sometimes even my dad, though he doesn’t deserve to be missed,” Bill paused before asking, “do you?”

Taking a breath, Dipper had to think for a moment before responding. “Yeah, I do.”

The captain did not say anything more, but smiled at his first mate before tossing the rolled up cloth at him. On his way to the door he patted Dipper’s shoulder, jostling the smaller man a bit before he exited the cabin. Dipper was once more left to his thoughts.

Why did this happen? It seemed more often than not their conversation topics would jump from one thing to another that had no connection. Dipper had previously written it off as stress, but he truly didn’t know. He itched to learn more about Bill, a mystery of a confusing past and an unclear future, known as a demon to man atop the seas but a kind if not troubled soul to those who knew him more. A monster was coiled beneath the skin of the man he wore, or was it a man cursed to hold a demon inside?

It seemed that not even Bill knew, he hadn’t known about the magic that was irritatingly absent now. The golden tendrils had not made an appearance since the Society of the Blind Eye had provoked Bill’s beast. Dipper had considered the possibility of it being some sort of magical parasite, but he’d only ever heard of stories depicting the beasts, and this was nothing like those stories. An acrid taste lingered on Dipper’s tongue the longer he thought about it.

Bill Cipher was a conundrum. A secret wrapped up in a mystery hinted at by conspiracy. Dipper briefly wondered how he’d managed to meet such an interesting being. Looking down at the box he cringed. Seven days? This was going to be a long week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It had to be addressed, there was no other way to go about it.
> 
> DO NOT BE AWKWARD ABOUT PERIODS! They're normal, they happen, get over it.
> 
> Sorry I'm a week late, I finally finished summer school and registered for my senior year of high school, and because I live in a dumb state, we start the week after next week! Ah~ I long for death's sweet loving embrace. Also, I'm in a hell titled Voltron, thanks TinyGhost 8A8 i blame you for this, but also, you're the best and I love you because you're amazing.
> 
> Comments are not required but I love to read your thoughts on things!
> 
> ♥Beta♥  
> ☼Blog☼


	17. Rise Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both men were quiet after that, Dipper pulling away to lean against the railing. His eyes scanned the horizon as the sun began to sink lower, casting a golden glow over the ocean.  
> “I’m staying with you this time,” Dipper spoke quietly, his voice barely audible above the sounds of the waves.

Anger bubbled in Dipper’s stomach and he was so ready to just throw the captain overboard in a bout of mutinous thoughts. The state in which Bill let things go concerning the preservation of food was atrocious, and that was putting it kindly. Had Dipper known he would have infused it with magic to make it last longer. As it was, the food was rather spoiled and Dipper was either leaving or they were making a stop to gather some fresher rations, ones that Dipper would make sure were properly handled and preserved.

He had the captain sitting in his desk chair as he paced in front of him, a string of curses and reprimand falling from his lips. Bill at least had the decency to look apologetic. Apparently he usually left his crew to handle the food and preservation. However, this was not Bill’s original crew and they had to deal with conditions other ships undoubtedly had trouble with as well. It made Dipper’s stomach swirl with disgust. He’d done what he could to salvage the rations.

The cow was taken up on the top deck for air and sun as were the chickens, a crew member was tasked with keeping an eye on them so they didn’t fall overboard. The lower decks were cleared, mostly with magic, and made more stately. He’d salvaged what he could of the grain and threw out the rotten stocks with vigor. Even Bill helped in the work, shooting Dipper sad looks whenever their gazes met. Dipper would not relent until the situation was rectified.

So their course was changed and they’d be docking by late evening at a port just off the coast of Pearl Keys. Honestly Dipper was relieved at how convenient it all was, and that they wouldn’t have to ingest something that was not fit for any creature’s consumption. He sent the captain another dark look before falling back on the plush bed and letting out a huff.

“Am I grounded or something?”

“We’ll all be grounded later tonight and we will all be restocking and fixing this dumb error,” Dipper ground out, not looking at Bill.

“What will it take to convince you that I am sorry and won’t let something like this happen again?”

“You prove it, dumb dumb, we’re going to port to stock up on fresh supplies and then we’re using magic to ensure they stay fresh. Besides, we need to find out where Gideon was headed and just floating aimlessly about at sea isn’t helping. You didn’t ask anyone in the last port where he could be headed to next.” Dipper sat up,“I keep getting the feeling that something is wrong because I highly doubt you’re this much of an airhead.” The siren glared at the captain who was now avoiding his gaze.

Bill’s shoulders drooped and he sagged in his chair. “I’m really being that obvious?”

“I almost beat you yesterday at sparring, I doubt just over a month’s worth of practice allows for a novice to overcome a master,” the siren deadpanned.

The captain looked tired, his clothes ruffled and stubble marring his face, dark circles were prominent under his eyes. “You don’t wanna hear me gripe about life, kid.”

“Clearly it’s bothering you, whatever  _ it _ is, and until you let it out it will only hold you back. I don’t care what it’s about but I deserve to know because now it is affecting the state of your ship and crew.”

With a sigh Bill nodded, “You’re right, and I’m just acting like a dumb piss baby, but fuck, Dipper, I’m worried.”

Dipper sat up fully to take in Bill’s slumped over position, but stayed quiet.

“I have no idea what state my crew is in, what they might be thinking, what Gideon might be doing to them.” His tone took a bitter turn. “I can hardly keep myself together, and all I’ve been doing is fretting over my worries and just going through the motions. I know I’m unstable, and I  _ know _ that you know it too, but I feel like I can’t do anything about it. I feel lost and alone even though I know I’m not, but I feel useless regardless of it all.”

A chill settled in Dipper’s chest as a wave of unease wafted over them. Slipping off the bed he walked over to Bill and rested his arms on the older man’s shoulders and let his head fall to rest on Bill’s. He reached a hand up to rub one of Bill’s cheeks and spoke softly.

“You’re not useless, Bill. I’m sorry you feel that way and I’m sorry I was hard on you this morning. I knew you were dealing with what’s happened but I let it get to me when I shouldn’t have,” he spoke and Bill’s hair tickled his nose. “However, you can’t bottle this all up, it will only fester and worsen the longer you let it float around inside your head. What’s done is done, and now it’s time to fix things, that’s why we’re here, right?” Dipper stepped back to meet Bill’s eyes.

The captain lifted his head, a frown still in place on his face. “It’s not your fault, it never was, and I’m sure your crew is holding up fine. After all, they’re  _ your _ crew, trained by the demon himself,” Dipper attempted a playful grin, earning a snort from Bill. “Just, just talk to me? We’re together on this long journey of rescue, revenge, and self discovery, may as well talk about it with those that are there.”

Bill smiled, a beautiful sight on a handsome face. He pulled Dipper in for a hug, hands squeezing tightly around the siren’s waist as he pressed his face into the crook of the younger man’s neck.

“Thanks Pine Tree,” Bill spoke, his voice hardly above a whisper. “You really are an angel fish.”

Dipper huffed but smiled as he pulled away. “I’m much prettier than an angel fish!”

“Oh yes, the prettiest,” Bill quipped with a grin.

Sticking out his tongue briefly, the siren laughed and pulled away from Bill. “I’m going to check on Soos and see how he’s doing, I think I scared him a little when I started clearing out the pantries.”

“You’re a force to be reckoned with Pine Tree, if you didn’t already have the crew’s respect you sure do now.”

“Good,” was all Dipper said before slipping out the door and leaving Bill to his devices.

Living life with a prideful nature often made one vulnerable to harsh realities. Having lived a rather splendid life among people you trusted often gave the feeling of being invincible. It wasn’t that Bill believed he was untouchable, it was more that he didn’t think he’d let it get to his head like so many others, that he was above that mindset. Gideon was definitely not a very cunning man, nor was he a skilled liar. So the fact Bill has been knocked so forcefully from his high horse was reality’s hardest hit.

Reality was a lie, Bill knew, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t influence people. Many suffered under impressions of false stories and blatant lies. Lies like ‘I love you honey, I’ll never leave’ or whispered confessions of love and content. The soul was never content, it always ached for more, a greedy abyss that would never be satisfied so long as one still had breath. What an acrid breath it was too, the stench of disloyalty and hatred, deceit the very air humans breathed. He hated them.

He could write a series of novels on the cruelties of man, of the inventions they created, the elaborate tortures they concocted. If asked, he could describe in detail the way a rapist screamed as their bones were broken one by one as he told them this was not as bad as what they’d done. The world was terrible, and Bill was a monster. This much he knew.

Pride. He prided himself in that he had more morals than most in his line of work. However, nothing could redeem the countless number of lives he’d taken in his time. Hardly over twenty and he’d eradicated scores of ships and souls, sending them down into the deep abyss he himself feared. He prided himself in his ability to stay alive and keep his crew afloat. Pirates weren’t human, they were not required to be, and if caught, they’d be treated less than the dirt on the streets.

He could string pretty words together, smile and say he was fine. It was easier before now, though, and he no longer had his pride. Pride was a flaw, but it kept his head up. He had nothing now, even with  _ Mens Scapus _ and an able bodied crew he was still nothing. Dead to the world and dead to himself. His mother would be ashamed of the man he’d become, both of his mothers would be. What a fool he was to think himself better than the rest. No doubt he’d already been forgotten, just another name lost at sea. Just like his father.

_ Oh. My. Fucking. Gods. Will you please just shut up already! I get that you’re upset and regretting all your major life decisions, but this is just pitiful. So what, some brat knocked you down. That doesn’t mean you stay down and let the snake get away with it. You get back on that gods damned high horse of yours and trample that fucker! I did not sign up to watch some sad little man go through a midlife crisis at age twenty one! So help me I will find a way to possess your pathetic vessel and do something productive! _

Bill flinched so violently that he’d fallen back with the chair and listened to the voice from the floor. He winced every time it changed pitch and volume, but listened without remark.

_ Wah wah, woe is me, I nearly died. Whoop de fucking doo, William. Your mothers would be ashamed, but not for who you are, they’d be ashamed that you’re letting some preppy school boy bat you about like a toy. Get back on your feet, apologize for your insolence, and fuck that little bitch over so hard he will feel it in every dimension! _

“Holy fuck, alright, alright,” Bill rolled off the chair and sat it upright. “No need to reprimand me, what are you, my mother?”

_ I may as well be for how often I gotta treat you like a child. _

“Touche today.”

_ I have been dwelling within the mind of a moping sad sack who has been too busy feeling sorry for himself he has not only neglected his crew and ship, but probably the only person who is fully willing to listen to him. Do not deny that one of the reasons you have been dwelling on Gideon was because you’ve been avoiding thinking about Dipper. _

Bill stayed silent, glaring at the map beneath the glass in his desk.

_ You say love doesn’t exist, I say you just don’t know what it is. _

“You’re wrong… Love is the lie men sing at women to get them into bed before leaving them with a child and bitter feelings.”

_ That’s not true and you know it. Until you admit it, consider yourself on your own. He won’t be there forever, not unless you do something. _

“How would you know, you’re just some voice inside my head, more of a hindrance than a helpful guide.”

His head stayed silent.

“Hello? What, no snarky reply, no sassy attitude?”

_ … The only reason I stay… is because of love. It’s nothing like the love you say is a lie, it is the love of someone who refuses to watch those important to them fall apart. I know you better than you know yourself. If you think, for a single moment, that I am some sort of curse. You have got another thing coming. You’re on your own. _

A steady ringing began in Bill’s ears, his head suddenly feeling rather light. Stumbling to the door he exited his cabin, eyes darting about the deck of the ship. A sense of emptiness began to settle in the pit of his stomach. He tried searching in his mind for the presence of the voice and found nothing, no pressure, no irritated emotions. Was the voice gone?

Nothing in his mind said otherwise, so Bill headed for the mess hall and into the kitchen. He entered quietly and found Dipper sitting on a counter, swinging his legs as he spoke with Soos.

“So I told her I wasn’t interested, but Mabel still set up the date at this fancy restaurant, and she managed to get Stan to pay for, so obviously there was no way I could stand her up. The entire thing was so awkward because I had absolutely no idea how to let her down easy without Mabel riding my tail about it.”

“Dude, your amount of failed romances could fill a book.”

“It’s not like I wouldn’t date her, I just hardly knew her, and she’s one of my sister’s best friends!”

“Me thinks, that the fishy is afraid of love,” Soos joked as he tossed Dipper a carrot. “Mind peeling that?”

“Sure,” Dipper slid off the counter, “but I honestly don’t think I’ve had that much bad luck when it comes to dating. Besides the awkward Wendy phase, and believe me, it was a phase,” Soos chuckled, “I have had some actually good experiences.”

“Besides Robbie.”

“That one doesn’t even count, there was no attraction there at all.”

“He made a move, therefore it still makes the board.”

“There is no board, and if there was he wouldn’t be on it! Besides, the actual worst experience I have had has to be-”

“C-Captain Cipher!” Soos called out, finally noticing Bill in the doorway.

“Don’t mind me, I’m interested to hear how badly little Pine Tree dealt with a relationship.”

Dipper’s face was bright red, the carrot he’d been peeling clutched firmly to his chest.

“It was nothing, you’d probably find it boring.”

“Had a fling? Were they bad in bed?”

Dipper nearly choked on his breath, Soos mumbling something and searching desperately for a chance to get out of there.

“For your information,” Dipper began indignantly, “I have never had sex and I wouldn’t have had it with this person, considering the fact she was female and we are both very much opposed to sexual intercorse with the opposite gender!”

“You found out you were both gay!” Bill couldn’t help but dissolve into laughter.

His face was split wide with a smile and the sounds of joyous glee fell from the grin. Chest and stomach hurting, he nearly fell over from the force of his laughter. Not only was his first mate a trans man, he was also apparently gay and a blushing virgin. He was honestly the most innocent thing he’d ever come into contact with. He’d never admit that he also liked the fact Dipper didn’t find any great deal of longing for his past relationships. Call him selfish, but Dipper was  _ his _ first mate, and the fact that others had attempted to court him didn’t sit well with Bill.

Dipper glared at Bill and huffed before turning around and peeling the carrot he’d been given. When he was done he walked over and grabbed another carrot and peeled that one.

“Are you giving me the silent treatment?”

His first mate didn’t reply, continuing his work in silence. Bill glanced at Soos, the pudgy man only shrugging his shoulders before shuffling over to continue making food. The captain stood there for a few minutes, watching them work before walking over and picking up a knife. He tested its sharpness before grabbing a carrot and began helping Dipper peel them.

“Sorry for laughing, that was rude, it wasn’t supposed to mock you or your friend’s sexuality, if it means anything to you I like both men and women.”

A gentle huff from Dipper was all the reply he got to that.

“Just, don’t go around telling people, it’s not exactly accepted among society. I’m glad you figured it out for yourself and it’s admirable that you keep your virtues.”

It was quiet again, the only sound being the peeling and cutting of vegetables.

“I am waiting for the person I will truly love to give myself to,” Dipper’s voice broke the silence.

“You believe in that? Love?”

Dipper turned to look Bill in the eye, his cheeks still flushed. “Yes.”

Bill broke their eye contact and coughed softly. “Well, good luck then.”

“You too.”

“... Thanks.”

Bill could hear a sigh, it was faint and almost inaudible, but it was there in the back on his mind. The voice wasn’t upset with him anymore, he could tell by the comforting pressure returning to his skull. Heavy footsteps sounded from the stairway to the kitchen, a young man bursting into the room.

“Sorry to disturb you all, but land’s been sighted and we should be docking within the next four hours or so, depending on if the wind picks up or not.”

“Thank you for informing us, we’ll be sure to be ready then,” Bill responded curtly to the man who quickly retreated back up the steps.

“Oh yeah, back on that topic,” Dipper spun to look at Bill, “we’re sticking together this time and we’re staying on task! No wandering about! We get the supplies, ask for information, then get back on the boat and heading out again.”

“Aye Aye captain,” Bill laughed.

“Whatever,” Dipper rolled his eyes, “just help me peel and chop these, Soos needs help to get this done faster, plus company is always welcome.”

“Aw, you make me feel wanted,” Bill crooned, dumping some cut vegetables into a large pot. “However, our helmsman needs to be relieved of duty for some well earned rest, and you,” he pointed at Soos, “are a great cook, be sure Pine Tree doesn’t cut off a finger, that’s unsanitary.”

Soos chuckled but didn’t add anything in, saluting Bill as the captain made his way out of the kitchen and successfully escaped kitchen duty. He really did need to check on the helmsman, though. The poor guy had been sleeping in cycles trying to keep them on course, so it was about time Bill took over.

Sure enough, the large man at the wheel was hunched over and fighting to keep his eyes open. Patting him gently on the shoulder Bill released him to go sleep in his quarters, promising to wake him for food later. After making sure the stumbling man was safely in his quarters, Bill assumed control of the wheel. The familiar wood beneath his bare fingers a nostalgic comfort, the wind a gentle reminder of their current mission.

A gray green mass lay in their path, the land the crewman had spoken of looming in the far distance. Bill stayed at the helm for another hour until lunch was officially served, at which point he roused the helmsman and ushered him into the mess hall for food, grabbing a bowl for himself on the way out. The land was now significantly larger, the lights from the town glistening in the distance. Apprehension roiled in Bill’s gut the closer the ship drew to the port. Something not entirely pleasant was about to take place, and Bill wasn’t entirely sure if he’d be able to handle it.

Thin arms wound around Bill’s waist, the lithe body of his first mate pressing against his side. “Everything okay?”

“More or less, gonna be an interesting stop.”

“You look constipated.”

“Thanks Pine Tree, you must woo all the boys with your flattery.”

“Something is bothering you, what is it?”

“Bad feeling.”

Both men were quiet after that, Dipper pulling away to lean against the railing. His eyes scanned the horizon as the sun began to sink lower, casting a golden glow over the ocean.

“I’m staying with you this time,” Dipper spoke quietly, his voice barely audible above the sounds of the waves.

“Okay,” Bill replied after a few more moments of silence. “Just stay close, we’ll make the deals first and then visit the pub.”

“Why the pub? You told me that it was a place for drunks and bad decisions.”

“It’s also a place of gossip. If anyone has any information on Gideon, it’ll be there. With the right kinds of persuasion you can get enough information to crumble an empire.”

“Then why haven’t you?”

“Too much work.”

“Typical.”

Bill and Dipper stood in comfortable silence as  _ Mens Scapus _ sailed toward the docks. It was a half hour before Dipper roused the crew to ready the ship for port. After another hour the ship was fully docked and the crew members massaged their hands as they headed down the boardwalk into town. A few claimed they needed some time away from the ship to get some non ocean air and to walk on a still surface. Bill let them, it was better if just he and Dipper were to go and make the deals.

Leading Dipper from the group of mumbling fish, Bill scanned the port for the market. His coin purse hung heavy at his hip as they headed down the boardwalk. He resisted the urge to take Dipper’s hand, he didn’t know this town well enough to comfortably walk down the street disregarding the social norms. The sounds of the market could be heard before the first vendor came into view. Even as the sun lowered and evening came upon the town, it was loud and bustling with people.

A few vendors were setting out more of their wares, restocking and calling out prices and deals. The two eventually reached a humble looking vendor who sat quietly behind their stall, hands clasped over their chest as they sat back in their chair. Drooping eyes followed their movement as the two approached, the figure moving to sit up.

“Hello there, lookin’ to buy some wheat? I still ‘ave a few barrels left, recently harvested and kept dry, four pents for a barrel.”

“May we see it first? You can put some on the mat you have there for us to look at.” Bill gestured, speaking kindly and smiling at the old vendor.

“Of course, of course,” They spoke, dragging a barrel over and dipping a metal dish in to pull out some of the wheat. “It’s always a pleasure to see new faces in this town. Your ship’s the second to come into port this last week.”

“You don’t get many visitors?” Dipper asked.

“T’all depends, since our town is jus’ off a major port we don’t get the heavy loads of ship men, so when a few grace our streets we try to welcome them.”

“Would you mind describing what these other ship men look like?” Bill asked, the look from earlier crossing his face.

“Ehm,” the person hummed, tapping a finger on the rim of the metal cup. “Finely dressed fellows, perhaps a bit peckish, needed a good bath and groomin’. I believe the captain’s name was Rezin, dark skinned man, lots of scars on his arms, nice fellow though. Said he was stoppin’ for a bit before a long journey, bought two barrels of wheat just today, reckon he’ll be leavin’ come mornin’. Now, how’s bout your purchase?”

The vendor let them examine the wheat and they bought two and a half barrels worth of the grain, promising to come by within the hour to pick it up before bidding the old figure farewell. Bill stayed relatively quiet as they walked through the market, speaking only when they were making the deals. Dipper took over rather quickly, using skills acquired while working for his grunkle Stan at the wreck. He silently thanked the old man for teaching him how to scam and barter.

It was late evening by the time they had all their barrels of rations on the boat, packed and enchanted to keep for a long while. Most of the crew loitered about the ship, Soos sleeping in Dipper’s quarters so he could be up again to make supper. First Scale was keeping inventory in one of Bill’s notebooks. The captain was standing on the docs, eyes turned to a large worn ship, it’s dark cherry wood badly battered.

“Care to explain who Rezin is?” Dipper asked, walking over to join Bill.

“Huh? Oh, hey there kid,” Bill spoke, eyes clouded with thought.

“That’s another pirate ship, isn’t it?”

“Astute, as always, but then who am I to question your intelligence,” Bill said, turning to give Dipper a small smile.

“So, good friend or nasty rival?”

“Bit of both? Rezin is an older pirate, been sailing quite a while. I’m not surprised he’s at such a small port but… I don’t know if I really want to run into him at this point.”

“Why not? He’s probably the best person to ask for information on Gideon.”

“That’s exactly the reason I don’t want to see him. In the pirate hierarchy, he’s above me, if he wanted to he could tear me down, no experienced crew, jumbled thoughts, probably some trauma. He could end me.”

“... Not if you have a siren at your side.”

“No.”

“Bill list-”

“NO”

Dipper flinched at Bill’s volume, raising his hands in defense. “O-okay.”

“Sorry,” Bill turned to give Dipper and apologetic look, “I don’t trust anyone with that kind of knowledge, they’d try to capture or kill you if they knew. I… you don’t need to put yourself in danger like that.”

“We should still go.”

“Pine Tree, did you not hear what I just sa-”

“I did,” Dipper interrupted, ”but we should talk to him. I think it would be a good idea.”

Bill facepalmed, “Kid, Pine Tree, Dipper, this pirate is alive and old because he is a powerful man. He won’t take pity, pirates aren’t like that, we may have codes but very few have real morals, and our laws only do so much.”

“If you won’t ask him then I will.”

The captain’s faced paled several shades as he sputtered. “What! No! No no no, that’s, are you crazy!?”

“No more than you, but I really think it will do us good to talk to him.”

Groaning, Bill rubbed his face, walking in a small circle before facing Dipper again. “Fine, you win, but I’m doing the talking, I don’t want them taking notice of you.”

Dipper grinned and grabbed Bill’s hand, tugging it away from pulling at his hair. “Then let’s go!” He just as quickly dropped the appendage, walking off the dock and into the town.

The pub was loud, Dipper hated it the moment he walked in, it smelled horrendous and everyone seemed to look at him wrong. He stuck close to Bill who weaved easily through the tables filled with drunk men, a few women here and there. His hand itched to grab Bill’s, but he refrained. They headed towards the back of the pub to a large table occupied by several dark skinned men, all leaning forward and mumbling, a few barely awake as they tried to pay attention to the conversation. Bill stopped at the end of the table, waiting a moment before clearing his throat once.

Immediately, the dark skinned man at the head of the table looked up, his dark eyes meeting Bill’s. The table was silent, the more awake men looking at Bill like he was some sort of apparition. Then, without warning, the large man at the head of the table stood with a roar of laughter, hobbling over to Bill and pulling the pirate into a crushing hug. Captain Rezin was huge, his dark skin marred by scars and tattoos, it looked hilarious as he engulfed the other captain in a bone crushing hug.

“Ah, you haev come back from the dead!” His accent was thick but filled with obvious mirth, it intrigued Dipper greatly. “Our great William has come back to us, course we shant expect less from the demon himself.” Rezin finally released Bill, the latter taking a much needed breath.

“Had to beat the little weasel's ass, didn’t I?”

Rezin laughed, patting Bill roughly on the back. “A course! And who’s dis lovely ting?” He gestured toward Dipper. “Build like dat I’d say he’s a compass.”

“I-I’m actually-”

“Come e here child.” Rezin pulled Dipper in for an equally crushing hug, a few crewmates snickered at Dipper’s shocked expression.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t kill my first mate, good ones are hard to come by nowadays,” Bill interjected, managing to pull Dipper from Rezin’s grasp.

The older captain laughed again, his voice booming loud over the noise of the pub. “Dat dey are captain Cipher, and I reckon you be here to find where dat snake has slithered of to?”

“Yes, that is my business here.”

“Tsk, no need for such formalities, Bill, we’re all loose wid spirit and have no quarrel. I’d offer you bothe a drink, but the child is… a child,” he chuckled. “However, it is good to see you alive and well, we were all worried ye mightn’t make it dis time, glad we were wrong.”

“Eh, yes, sobriety is definitely good right now. I am also glad I’m not dead.”

“Ye, I reckon your siren has much to do wid dat.”

Bill paled for the third time that day, eyes wide as he tried to disagree with Rezin.

“Non of dat Bill, I know him folk, or at least the distant relatives. You see in der eyes, they have a unique look, quite bootiful, tho I would like to know why such a little ting is so fah away from home?” Rezin turned to look at Dipper.

“I… I wanted to see what it was like above the sea, to prove my family wrong about humans.”

“Child,” Rezin spoke, his tone a little less boisterous now, “humans are all different, many are terrible,” he gestures to his crew, “kill and steal, wid no morals to make dem regret. You should be cautious, you are lucky dat Bill is the one to take you along. A few humans are good, but many are corropted, stay saef little one, the land is dangerous to folk like you.” He patted the siren on the shoulder.

“Rezin, you know these waters better than me, you also know many pirates, do you have any idea where Gideon might be, or where he might be headed?”

“I can do you one betta, the praetor has called a meeting concerning some pressing concerns, only a fool would choose to disobey a direct arder, if he is not der, den he will be in big trouble wid more dan jus you.”

“A meeting at this time of year? What for?”

“I am unallowed to say, but it concerns someting of great importance to many, it has caused her praesul to quake, I would be cautious Cipher.”

“Her great praesul? I didn’t think she had any emotion,” Bill tried to lighten the steadily darkening mood

“Dis is no joke, Bill, it concerns the end of a ting, what it may be, even I do not know.”

Bill cleared his throat, glancing at a very confused Dipper. “When and where is the meeting?”

“Same plaes as always, half a moon cycle from now. You can bring your first maet, I have a feeling he might have clearar insight on dis dan us.”

Dipper shot Bill another confused look before turning back to Rezin. “What do you mean?”

“Your people are fah more advanced dan our world, perhaps you know more about prophecies as well,” Rezin gave Dipper a knowing look. “In any case, I have a long journey ahead of me, and my crew needs rest as well. Take care, Cipher, now is not the time for you to die.”

“I don’t plan on it, Rezin, you take care too.”

“Always, and child,” dark brown eyes fell on Dipper, “I care for Bill like my own son, he may seem tough, but he is a gental soul. Watch over him as I know he watches you, stay saef.”

“Aye aye, captain.”

Rezin grinned and ruffled both Dipper and Bill’s hair before retreating to a staircase just to the left, the wood creaking beneath his girth as he ascended.

“And you were afraid to come to him,” Dipper grinned slyly at Bill.

“Not even a minute after he leaves and you’re already bullying me! Rude.”

“It’s not bullying if neither finds malice in it.”

“I can’t believe I made you my first mate.”

“Come on, you know you love me,” Dipper joked, gently prodding Bill’s side.

The two headed for the door, escaping from the noise and stuffy pub into the crisp evening air.

“Yeah, I kinda do,” Bill spoke too softly for Dipper to hear.

_ I can’t believe what I’m witnessing. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to apologize for my lateness, I had this chapter done on time, but my beta and I were flipping our shit cakes over Rezin's dialect. He's supposed to be Nigerian, and we wanted to accurately portray his accent, because he's a good man and deserves proper characterization.
> 
> Love my beta  
> Check out the blog


	18. Surprise Bitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Twisting around, Dipper pulled Bill into a tight hug. “I love you,” he whispered, the words just barely audible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE WAIT WAS WORTH IT!!!! TRUST ME!!

_Mens Scapus_ sailed from the port early the next morning, setting a course for Nassau. Bill was more upbeat, no longer sighing at his misfortune, his head held a little higher, shoulders back and eyes filled with hard determination. He had been able to get some real sleep, the bruises beneath his eyes already beginning to fade. The sun had hardly peeked over the horizon and Bill was barking orders at the crew, even joining them up in the rigging, urging everyone to get moving. He had even shoved Dipper out of bed when he got up, dragging the siren about the ship to help with menial tasks.

Despite how tired he felt, relief flooded Dipper’s chest as he watched the captain actively tend to his ship. The unease settled into something more pleasant and Dipper no longer felt the tinge of fear when Bill looked out over the ocean. His bitter feelings were still present, obvious in the way he’d clench his jaw or how his eyes would harden if he stood too long in a single position, clearly lost in thought. However, he was no longer sitting idly around the ship with dull eyes staring at nothing. He had even taken the time to put on a clean shirt and comb his wavy hair. His eyes shined with excitement and mischief. Dipper figured this is more like the Bill before Gideon, one who was troubled but didn’t let that keep him from being a pirate captain, and a damn peppy one at that. Did this man ever stop?

Though he had little clue what Rezin had been talking about, Bill clearly felt it necessary for them to travel as fast as possible to the supposed pirate port. Dipper had vague ideas of what it would all entail, humans were already a mystery to him, and pirates were a subcategory wrapped up in even more mystery. Dipper loved a good mystery when he chanced upon one, but he was beginning to think he might have found something even he couldn’t solve.

With what had been said at the pub the night previous, as well as all past adventures since boarding _Mens Scapus_ , Dipper felt overwhelmed. Would they be ready to face Gideon in just barely two weeks time? If Rezin had known about Dipper at just a glance, would the other pirates figure him out as well? A small part of Dipper told him he should have stayed home, let Bill drown then, save himself the trouble he was now in. His stomach roiled at the thought. If he could go back in time, he was sure he would make the same choices, at least, right now he did.

The siren felt a flick to his forehead and whipped around to face Bill. “Hey!” He rubbed his forehead and glared at Bill, his cheeks coloring with embarrassment and a little guilt. “What was that for?”

“You looked lost in thought and I didn’t want you stressing over anything and throwing yourself into a funk.”

“Thanks, I guess,” Dipper grumbled, letting his hand fall away from his forehead, “but you didn’t have to flick me to get my attention.”

“Meh,” Bill shrugged, “I like watching you flail.”

“Jerk,” Dipper mumbled under his breath.

“Yes! I am!” Bill grinned. “What’s it to you?”

“I get it now, when you’re not moping, you’re insane!”

Bill flinched a little, his eyes widening slightly before he looked away from Dipper. “Yeah… I am insane, what’s it to you, kid?” The captain’s voice grew a little cold.

“It’s nothing to me, it just means you’re acting more like yourself, and even if it’s a little irking,” Dipper tried to grin, but it felt more like a grimace, “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

Bill’s demeanor softened again and his smile became a little more genuine. “Yeah, I’m glad too, glad to finally be able to clock the little jerk in the face! Oh, and also discuss whatever bullcrap is having her royal buttress quiver in her skin.”

“Glad to see you have your priorities straight,” Dipper giggled.

“The only straight thing in my life kid, and even then my priorities are strange.”

Rolling his eyes Dipper dismissed himself to his quarters, flopping down onto the bed and burrowing under the sheets. Now that Bill had mentioned the meeting, it was brought to the forefront of Dipper’s mind, making his stomach twist again as he thought of possible outcomes. It was a little ridiculous that even pirates had some system of governing, but he guessed it was a good thing. However, what was really concerning Dipper was what Rezin had said.

The end of a _thing_ , what thing? Was it some sort of prophecy? It wasn’t really common, but a few sirens were known to be able to interpret visions, and Rezin had said someone like Dipper could be helpful. It made the most sense. He closed his eyes to ponder it all, eventually just falling asleep.

 

The bed dipped, rousing Dipper from a troubled sleep, his eyes opening to a dark room.

“Bill?” Dipper rasped.

“Hey Pine Tree, did I wake you?” Bill’s voice was just above a whisper.

“S’fine, should get up anyway.”

Dipper didn’t move though, choosing to let gravity pull him into the dip of the bed. Bill chuckled and patted Dipper’s back before pulling the siren’s upper body into his lap.

“Dinner was served about five minutes ago, you should eat something,” Bill spoke quietly as he rubbed Dipper’s back.

“I know, but your hands feel nice and I’m stressed and tired.”

“Why are you stressed?”

“Worried about what will happen when we reach Nassau.”

“Oh,” Bill intoned quietly, “I can understand why, but you shouldn’t fret over it, that’s my job.”

Dipper finally sat up, his eyes easily finding Bill’s. “Rezin said that I’d be able to help interpret whatever it is that has called a meeting of a bunch of pirates. Siren’s are known for their ability to read dreams or understand prophetic stories. If that’s the case, what’s to keep the others from tearing me apart? Both you and Rezin said that pirates were dangerous and that I shouldn’t trust anyone! But if I can’t trust anyone then how can I even travel? I’ll constantly be looking over my shoulder. Rezin knew what I am, just by looking at me, what if the others know, what if I can’t protect myself, what if I can’t protect you? I, I can’t lose you Bill, I have no idea what I’m doing and it’s freaking me out. I haven’t been thinking of the repercussions of my actions and now that something so important is coming up, I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle it!” Dipper began hyperventilating, his chest heaving as he shook, his head pounding as all his thoughts from earlier vied for his attention.

Arms enveloped him, pulling Dipper into a crushing embrace, Bill’s breath ghosting across his cheek as the captain curled around him. He squeezed the siren’s upper arms, rubbing along them and down his back as he shushed the boy.

“Dipper, Dipper, don’t worry. You have no reason to worry about this,” Bill began, his voice gentle, almost cooing. “There is a written truce among all pirates that a week before, during, and a week after the meeting, all pirates are to not attack one another. There are huge punishments for those who break pirate laws and this is one of the most important. As for your secret, Rezin has spent most of his life among magical creatures, he knows the ins and outs of them and has always been able to pick out different ticks. His home island was located next to a mermaid hotspot, he knows more about them than anyone, even if most don’t believe him, hell, I didn’t before I met you.” Bill was dragging his fingers through Dipper’s hair, his nails scraping along the scalp sending shivers down the siren’s spine. “Don’t worry over it, we’ll get to it when the time comes. For now, we train and prepare ourselves, and…” Bill paused, taking a breath before letting it out, “if you want to go home, I’ll take you home.”

The siren clung harder to Bill, head lifting to glare dejectedly at the pirate. “No,” his voice was was filled with conviction. “I promised that I’d stay with you and help you find out more about your monster, a-and, if I left, how would I know you were safe?”

“I guess then that we’re sticking together?”

“Yes, yes we are. We’re going to get your revenge and find the truth behind your monster, I swear to it. If we have to scour the whole world, we will.”

“And he bounces back!” Bill cheers.

Dipper pulls away from Bill with a chuckle, his chest feeling a little lighter. “Thanks Bill, sorry I’m being all emotional.”

“Emotion means you’re living, kid. You aren’t alive if you don’t feel. I mean, it’s possible, but what kind of life would it be if you didn’t?”

Dipper laughed and patted Bill’s cheek. “Well then, I must be very alive because my feelings are off the charts.” Dipper slipped away from Bill and off the bed. “Now, I’m going to eat something, you coming?”

“Course I am, Soos’s meals are worth a break in the emotional turmoil that is life.”

Rolling his eyes, the siren giggled. “You are a strange man, Bill Cipher.”

“Pines, you haven’t seen the half of it,” Bill responded, following Dipper out of the room.

 

The next fourteen days went by rather quickly, between maintaining the ship and training, the entire crew was ready to arrive at the port for some rest. They weren’t the only ones there either, there were several large ships with various wear and tear, quite obviously pirate ships. They were greeted cheerily by the harbour master, paying the fee and eagerly entering town, taking advantage of solid ground. The meeting wasn’t for another four days, but there was plenty of scouting to be done.

Gideon hadn’t arrived, none of his lackeys were traversing around town, and his ship wasn’t docked anywhere they looked. Dipper had finally just asked and was told no one had seen Gideon since the last time Bill had brought him along to a meeting. By the end of the third day, Bill was irate and moody, coming back from the tavern drunk off his ass and sleeping off a hangover.

“Bill,” Dipper nudged the groaning man, “Wake up, you have to get ready for today.”

“Fuck everyone, let me sleep,” Bill mumbled into the pillow.

“This meeting is mandatory, Cipher. They won’t take pity on you, even if you had a missing limb or were bed bound. Besides, Rezin is expecting you there, and you were looking forward to their reactions at you not being some ghost.” Dipper continued prodding at the captain.

“Don’t care, s’not like it concerns us.”

“From the way Rezin spoke I think it concerns everyone, now get up or I’m going alone.”

Bill sat up rather quickly, flinching at the fast movement as it caused his vision to swim. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“This is important, you said that her praesul is second in command because of her stoicness and lack of emotion. Rezin said that even she was bothered by this, clearly it’s something important.” Dipper had a serious expression on his face, the early morning light casting a solemn shadow over his face.

The captain groaned, but threw away the covers. “Alright, okay, fine, I’ll go. But it’s probably just exaggeration, there’s not usually anything important at these meetings unless there has been a death among the main eight.”

“Weren’t you in the main eight?”

“Was,” Bill mumbled, “then Gideon committed mutiny.”

“Well, you technically didn’t die, so isn’t it still an obligation for you to attend all meetings?”

“Don’t throw back pirate rules and obligations in my face, Pine Tree, I helped reform the system.”

“Then you should know that you are an important member of the council and are required to attend under penalty,” Dipper stated before pulling a smug expression. “If you didn’t want me bothering you then you shouldn’t have told me all the legalities of pirates.”

“You are the cruelest of creatures, angel fish.”

“No, just attentive,” Dipper grinned. “Now up and at ‘em, the crew is already loitering about.”

“You know most of these people already know I’m here, right?”

“Then you have no excuse not to go, because then they’ll know you skipped out. Now up! Normally it’s you ushering me out the damn door.”

“Oh, how the tables have turned.”

“I don’t understand that reference, but I assume it has something to do with slang and therefore don’t care. Now up!”

Bill laughed as he slipped out of the bed and over to the chest at the foot end, drawing out a clean shirt and trousers. He shirked off the rumpled clothes he had worn previously, adorning the more formal wear. Dipper slipped the bright red coat over Bill’s shoulders, freshly cleaned and smelling of lilacs.

“You’re spoiling me, sapling.”

“Beats me committing mutiny.”

“I will never live that down!”

“Not in this life.”

“At least I’m not referred to as a child.”

“Who was the one that needed help from said child as he plummeted to the bottom of the see?”

“So sassy!”

“Only when I need to be,” Dipper tugged on Bill’s arm, “now come on, or we’re going to be late.”

“I might have to put in a letter of complaint at the starting times for these meetings.”

“Move now, complain later!”

Both men laughed as they left the captain’s quarters, racing down the gangplank and across the doc. Dipper had roused Bill a little early, but then time was meaningless anyway so it didn’t really matter. They stopped briefly to buy food and water, at Dipper’s insistence. By the time they arrived at the meeting place, several other members were there, Rezin among them with his own first mate. The large man was discussing some matter with another pirate, the other woman’s long grey hair weaved into tight braids that were pinned up under her hat.

The dark skinned captain noticed Bill and ended the conversation, standing and making his way over to the new arrivals, causing a few other heads to turn in their direction. Dipper resisted the urge to hide behind Bill, choosing instead to stand a little taller and raise his chin, avoiding eye contact with those that watched them. The room had gone a little quiet after Rezin had risen, a few pirates faces contorted in confusion and astonishment. A cough broke the silence and a tall woman with broad shoulders strode forward.

“Either the living dead is among us, or our dear Cipher has come to reaffirm his position.”

The woman’s voice was deep, almost undefinable, but high cheekbones and a frilly dress beneath a corset determined her identification. Dipper figured she was the praesul, the woman who had no emotion. True enough, neither her face nor voice gave away anything that the woman might be feeling or thinking. Her dull yellow eyes had a light milky film, an indication that she was going blind. Dark skin was accented by stark white hair that fell around her shoulders and down beneath her torso, almost to her knees. However, the most defining aspect of her person would definitely be the horrifically scarred stump of her left arm, severed just above the elbow.

She walked forward with deadly grace, lifting her good arm to rest a hand on Bill’s cheek. “Welcome back.”

Bill lowered his head in respect, Dipper doing the same, incredibly aware of the tension growing in the room.

“You’ve brought company, may I see them?” Her head tilted to face Dipper as she walked forward to address him personally.

“Praesul?” Dipper’s voice was quiet, but easily heard within the room. Several pirates whispering to one another as they watched them unabashedly.

“You are new among us, from whence do you hail?”

Dipper immediately felt his insides turn to ice, his head growing light as panic rose in his throat.

“The child hails from an uncharted island off the triangle coast,” Rezin spoke, sidling up to the woman. “I spoke wid Bill before he came here.”

Her eyes never left Dipper’s, squinting in an attempt to better see him through her dimming vision. “And I suppose it is to be kept a secret for your family’s safety?”

“Yes,” Dipper responded with a firm tone in spite of the spikes of fear tearing through his body.

The woman nodded, “Don’t let these piss babies intimidate you, they wouldn’t dare break rules here.”

She claps a hand on Dipper’s shoulder, her thumb brushing along his neck, right where his gills would normally be. He clenches his jaw but doesn’t make a move to slip away, feeling Bill’s worried gaze on him. Dipper wanted to shrug her off and end the conversation, but a nagging feeling told him that would be a bad move.

Instead he responded with what he hoped would be just enough sass to get him some respect but not make him a target, “I should hope not, there are at least fourteen ships with heavy fire power just a few blocks away.”

A large smile split her praesul’s face as she laughed wholeheartedly. “I like this one, Cipher, much better than your last one.” She let her hand fall from Dipper’s shoulder and the boy relaxed. “You may call me by my name child, it’s Neviah, and may I ask you yours?”

“Dipper Pines.”

“Pines?” A small flair of recognition passed across her face before it fell back into a neutral expression. “Who came up with that name?”

“It’s a nickname, based on the star constellation Ursa Major.”

“I see, I always knew Bill was thirsty.”

Bill sputtered, his face aflame, “Nevi!”

Neviah chuckled and stepped away from them, apparently ending the conversation.

“That woman, it’s honestly no surprise that she and Pyronica are related!” Bill grumbled.

“She’s related to your arsenal’s specialist?”

“Her aunt, and probably the most infuriating person on the face of this planet.”

“She’s definitely daunting,” Dipper agreed, eyes scanning the room as conversations picked back up and the tension died down a bit.

“I promise Pyronica isn’t that terrible, but she is handsy.”

“Okay, but what did Neviah mean when she said you were thirsty?”

“Don’t be vulgar Pine Tree, we’re in public,” Bill said with a smirk before ushering the smaller male over to an empty seat.

It would be another hour and a half before the meeting began, a few more men and women joining the slowly growing group of pirates. They all varied in age and bodily modifications, quite a few of them missing limbs or parts of their face. Piercings were on all of them, in ears or lips, even above their eyebrows, the metal ranged from silver to gold as well as iron. In all, the different elements left Dipper slightly disoriented, but he wasn’t the only one either.

There was at least one captain who was half fae, attempting to stay as far from the iron wearers as possible. Another pirate, a first mate, had identifying marks of a tree nymph and smelled heavily of earth and wood. He sat close to Dipper, his hands fidgeting as he casted glances every so often in his direction. He seemed like a spritely young pirate, and Dipper didn’t really mind him. Ford had always said forest folk were friendly.

“Hello,” Dipper’s head turned to look at the nymph. “My name is Drefen, what is yours?”

Dipper smiled politely and held out his hand, “Dipper.”

Drefen gave him a small smile and shook his hand firmly. “I can’t help but notice that you’re not, well,” the nymph gestured.

“Oh, yeah, and you’re not either,” Dipper responded quietly, eyes drifting around the room to determine if anyone might be listening.

Bill was talking with Rezin, harsh whispers being passed between them. Neviah sat at the head of the table, conversing with an older man that sat next to her. No one was paying attention to them and the meeting wasn’t officially starting for another twenty minutes or so.

“Yeah…” the man trailed off, “If you don’t mind my asking, how did you end up here?”

“Saved my captain from drowning,” Dipper spoke clearly, but low enough that no one could hear them. “What about you? I always thought your people couldn’t leave your forest.”

“That’s if the forest still exists. Humans decimated a large portion of my home, Captain Savy and her crew took them out in a raid. I helped them drive out the people causing harm. After that we just kind of stayed together. She’s a good captain, a little rough around the edges, but she helped my people so now I help her.”

“She sounds nice,” Dipper smiled, elbow propped on the table to rest his head on his hand.

“Yeah, I have some pretty good friends on her ship,” Drefen agreed. “What about you though? I’ve never met a siren before.”

“Bill and I are on a mission, revenge on the man who betrayed him.”

“Gideon? Everyone here hates him, how did he even become a pirate?”

“You got me, the human sounds like a rotten piece of work.”

The nymph nodded, eyes darting to a corner of the room before landing on Dipper again.

“I will never get used to this place, it’s already my third time accompanying Savy and I still feel like I stick out.”

Dipper nodded once, “Yeah, it’s a little overwhelming, I don’t trust anyone here.”

“Do you trust me?”

Dipper sat up a little straighter, brows furrowing at the nymph. “What?”

“Well, we’re both creatures of magical origin, I feel I can trust you, but do you trust me?”

“We just met, I don’t know you and you don’t know me.”

“I know, but if things are as bad as everyone is insinuating, we should build alliances, should we not?”

“I suppose…”

“Just think on it, I won’t press you or anything, but I do trust you. I can see a great potential friend in you,” Drefen spoke and took the hand Dipper had resting on the table.

Dipper’s cheeks flushed, “Trust no one,” he half whispered, scooting a little away from the nymph. “Trust no one until they have proven they are worthy of it. I don’t trust you, and you shouldn’t trust me either.”

Both men heard someone clear their throat from behind Dipper. The siren turned and ended up face to face with a very miffed looking Bill.

“Excuse me, Drefen was it? But I do believe you’re making my first mate a bit uncomfortable right now, and I would appreciate it if you let go of his hand,” Bill’s tone took a dark turn at the end of the sentence, eyes pinned on their clasped hands.

Drefen let go of Dipper like he’d been burned, stuttering out an apology before rising from his chair to sit next to who Dipper presumed to be Savy. Bill’s arm wound around Dipper and pulled him closer, his other hand taking the one Drefen had held.

“Handsy little fucker, can’t believe he thought his charm spell would work on you.”

“His what?”

“Charm spell, he reeked of it.”

“I didn’t sense anything.”

“You wouldn’t, it’s one of those nasty spells guys use to get girls at pubs, the target can’t sense it, but anyone else magically inclined can see it. Gods, the nerve of that, that, con!”

“Hey, my great uncle is a con artist, plus, that’s a weak insult.”

“It’s French for asshole,” Bill ground out, squeezing Dipper’s hand lightly.

The siren snorted, “Well, I think you effectively scared him off, so thank you for that,” he squeezed back.

“Just trying to keep my first mate safe.”

The room became quiet as Neviah and the man she was talking to stood. All eyes landed on them as people took their seats and abruptly ended their conversations.

“As you know,” Neviah began, “there has been some disturbances in the natural order of things as of late. Mass mutinies have taken place and many navies have been advancing on many of our fellow pirates.” She gestured to a few empty seats. “This isn’t new to any of you.” A few murmurs started among the mass but a look from the man next to her praesul silenced them. “Many of you are young, a part of the generation that wasn’t there during the rise of piracy, so I won’t fault you for not knowing the true issue at hand as those of us who do know have kept it under tight wraps. But the issue can no longer be ignored as the time of reckoning is fast approaching. We fear that we won’t be able to snuff it this time.”

A heavy silence fell over the room as Neviah let her words sink in. Dipper felt eyes on him and looked over to where Drefen was staring at him. He shuddered and quickly looked away.

“To those of you who entered into the system just under ten years ago, there was a great deal more of us oldies,” the other standing pirate began. “There was once a very revered pirate, a man who started this system, putting into place rules and connections for us to evade and prosper. Through this system we rose up and became a terrifying force to all those who traveled the seas. I know that a few of you still have respect for this captain, and should he return would eagerly serve him.” He casted his eyes around the room, a few men and women looking down to avoid eye contact. “I would implore you all to not seek this man out, for his demise was his own doing and we have reason to believe that he is no longer human.”

An older man slammed his fist on the table, rising from his seat with a red face and angry eyes. “You know that is bullcrap, Johanes! His chef de file estimé was a good man! He was warning us of what could come and the supernatural forces killed him for it!”

Another woman rose from her seat, “Lies! No human has the capability of foresight! He was warning us of himself and he is going to return to destroy us all!”

The room erupted in shouts, the older pirates dominating the argument, tempers flaring and tension becoming unbearable. Dipper looked over to Bill whose eyes were blown wide in shock and fear. The siren scooted closer to him, squeezing his hand again as he steadily became more anxious. Rezin locked eyes with Bill for a moment, as if compelling him to react in some way. Bill gave a curt nod and patted Dipper’s arm before standing.

“Everyone!” His voice rose above the arguing members, almost as if it was echoing in ethereal levels, “Shut your gods damned pie holes and sit the fuck down!”

Utter silence befell the room, all eyes landing on Bill before all the standing members sat, leaving Bill the only one out of his seat.

“Johanes,” Bill casted his gaze onto the elder man, “what is this all about, you spoke of some warning but you haven’t told us what it is. Please, in order for this discussion to continue we need to know all we can about these past events.”

A pained look took over the man’s face as he rose, a wet cough racking through him before he spoke.

“There was once a very esteemed and greatly revered pirate. He was the mind behind organized piracy, creating the very counsil of which you are all a part.” His eyes darted around the room again before landing on Dipper. “His chef de file estimé was a very influential captain, but he did have flaws. After careful inspection upon his disappearance, we discovered some disturbing evidence of his true agenda.”

Johanes’s gaze finally left Dipper as Bill sat back down. He let out a breath he had been holding, his lungs aching in protest.

“We do not know his fate or the exact date of his demise, but we did search through his records in an attempt to find him.” Johanes then reached into his coat to pull out a large maroon book. “Instead, we found this.”

The book landed on the table with a heavy thunk, and Dipper almost choked on his tongue. It looked almost identical to Ford’s journals, the only difference was instead of a golden six fingered hand, there was a triangle with an infinity symbol in the middle. Bill sent him a side glance, his face asking the same question going through his mind. What was this book all about?

Johanes looked pained as he reached over and flipped open the book. The pages rustled loudly in the near silent room, yellowed with age and covered in various stains of unknown origins. It opened to a page depicting a demonic black being and Dipper felt panic rise in his throat.

“Cxaxukluth,” the name escaped Dipper’s lips, drawing all eyes to him. “Why would any pirate have need of information on creatures like him? He’s not of this world, not of this dimension!” His voice rose as his panic flared. “That book should be burned, if that falls into the hands of the wrong person, great evil could be unleashed into this world.”

His eyes locked with Rezin, the older man’s face screwed up in deep concern and maybe even a sliver of fear.

“Who is… whatever you called that thing, why is it dangerous?” A pirate stood, she was young and had large eyes, almost innocent looking among the others.

“Cxaxukluth is generally harmless if left alone, but if summoned, he can cause irreparable damage and harm to the minds of everyone he comes across. He’s not inherently evil, but whatever lays within the same dimension as him can not claim the same.” Dipper shuddered. “What else is in the book? What other terrible things have been recorded?”

Everyone in the room was shocked, not excluding Bill, who looked as if he was ready to either pass out or grab Dipper and run, probably both.

“How do you know about these creatures then, if they’re supposedly dangerous?” It was Drefen who asked, his eyes boring into Dipper’s as they looked at each other.

Panic gave way to sheer fear as Dipper realized the undivided attention he had, various expressions adorning the faces of everyone in the room. He began to sink lower in his seat, his face going pale as he realized the mistake he had made. A hand slipped into his, Dipper’s eyes snapping over to meet Bill’s stormy blues. His captain squeezed gently, his eyes the only thing to betray any semblance of emotion.

A chair scraped loudly across the floor as Rezin stood, drawing a few eye to him.

“Leave the child alone, der is much he will understand and we will not, but dat is not the issue here. Johan, the prophecy he gaev, read it to dem, so dat we all may interpret the words for ourselves.”

Rezin sat down as Johanes cleared his throat, eyes glancing at the open page of the book before pulling out another object from his coat. It wasn’t a book this time, instead he pulled out a rumpled piece of paper. Attempting to school his features, Johanes just ended up looking even more pained.

“Upon inspection of the… Demon Tome,” he paused for a moment, trying to word everything properly. “We discovered several, encrypted loose papers. It took a long while of careful research and patience, but we managed to decode all the pages.”

Neviah huffed and stood swiftly, snatching the paper from Johanes’s hands. “Sit down before you hurt yourself, honestly, we’ll be here till next week if you keep going like this.”

“This is a serious issue, Nev,” Johanes protested but sat down anyway.

“Exactly, so we’re ending your ceaseless stalling,” she retorted before lifting the page up and clearing her throat.

“For anyone who may come across this i am Offering my apologies now, for you see, Right when i began my journey for the truth, i had scarcely Dreamt i would ever find anything Pertaining to the origin of my ilk. I am at a loss, however, as i Now know this gift is passed from one generation to the next. Every being on this earth is pathetic in comparison and Soon all will bow before me.”

Neviah finished and placed the paper atop the book before sitting down. The room remained silent, each member pondering over the message. To Dipper, it made little sense. It flowed but then changed, as if the author’s state of mind suddenly shifted. What was this man even going on about? Dipper had a feeling he didn’t want to know the answer.

He looked over at Bill, who was silently staring at the paper, deep in thought. Something shifted in the corner of the siren’s eye, drawing his gaze back to the paper. The paper was in his hands before he realized that he’d moved, a couple of the pirates there instantly protesting as he held the paper up to the candle light. The parchment was thick beneath Dipper’s fingers, the letters neatly scrawled along the surface. Although the light was poor, he could still see another text scrawled along with the previous one.

“There’s another message,” he found his voice, the room falling into a discontent silence.

“What does it say, child?” Rezin asked, his eyes focused on the paper in Dipper’s hand.

Dipper could feel Bill’s eyes on him, the captain’s hand clutching Dipper’s coat. The animosity in the room was overwhelming, and Dipper wanted to clam up and disappear, but that wouldn’t be ideal right now. It wasn’t just Dipper’s life on the line, Bill’s was as well. He glanced over at the older man, their eyes meeting just long enough for Bill to give him a nod.

“It’s,” Dipper swallowed, “It’s in rhyme, like riddles or, or prophecies.” He tried desperately to keep his hands from shaking, the walls closing in around him. “Here goes,” he mumbled lowly.

“Travel to a place, deep beneath the sea

Come to a place where all things may be

Spells are spun to trap a monster

Uttering a curse there ever after

‘Eye for an eye, soul for a soul

A child of yours will be eaten by dhole’

From the stars who weep bitter tears

Count the time, eighteen years

All these things do come to pass

Beware, oh siren, watch your lass.”

He let the paper drop back down onto the table. Refusing to meet anyone’s eyes, Dipper sat down quickly, wishing for the meeting to end. The page of the book caught his eye again, causing him to shudder. Ford used to speak so fondly of these creatures, claiming that all supernatural creatures, including their own line, descended from the same place where creatures like Cxaxukluth resided. You could hardly blame him, Ford loved the ancient magical world just as much as he loved the magic of the modern world.

Evenings during the summer Dipper turned thirteen were often spent in Ford’s room, talking about theories and other dimensions. Ford always stressed that it was more theoretical and highly unlikely for there to be any way to get into the other dimensions. While there were those on their side who could summon demons from the other plane, for them to cross would be nigh impossible. He had one major theory that involved thin walls between dimensions and a specific location not too far from Gravity Falls. However, after Dipper’s sixteenth birthday, Ford began hiding all of his notes and theory work under the claim that it was all probably wrong and if not, too dangerous to be on hand.

Dipper wasn’t paying attention to where the conversation was headed, choosing instead to lose himself in thought. That book was so much like Ford’s, it had the same color and general design, really the only difference was the triangle and the contents. Then again, Ford also had an entire journal dedicated to eldritch abominations, classified by size, rank, and power. All of them were pretty frightening, but there were a few that just really made Dipper feel ill at ease. Memories from a time when he tried to summon a monster during a party at the wreck resurfaced and Dipper felt his stomach twist into knots. That infinity journal was bad news, not only did it depict the terrors, but it gave a detailed account, or at least that’s what Dipper figured based on the page about Cxaxukluth.

Screaming drew Dipper from his thoughts, and he felt hands grab at him and pulling back and away from the table. He looked up to see Drefen pointing a gun at Neviah, the book of terrors open in his other hand. The nymph then turned to look at Dipper.

“Now that I have everyone’s undivided attention, I’m going to ask really nicely once, what does the text mean? The hidden one that the newbie read,” He spoke as his eyes locked with Dipper’s.

The siren could feel Bill’s chest rise and fall erratically at his back, his arms crossed over Dipper’s chest in a vain attempt to protect him.

“Dipper,” Drefen spoke sickeningly sweet, “perhaps you can decipher it, I mean, you are a siren and the riddle did mention your race, so I figure you have more insight than the rest of us,” he gestured to the other pirates with a dark chuckle.

“Now,” he cocked the gun and pointed it just above Bill, “I have orders from Gideon to get information and leave no witnesses, but since I’m passive by nature I’ll let you live if you agree to my conditions. My conditions being tell me everything without holding back or I won’t ask twice.”

There weren’t supposed to be weapons, no one was allowed to bring weapons, they’d all been searched and warned about it. Then he noticed that there were a few other pirates with weapons drawn, seemingly with Drefen as well. Dipper was slowly beginning to panic, his chest seizing and his limbs going numb. He lifted his hands to squeeze Bill’s, desperately seeking a grounding point. Bill immediately took his hands and squeezed back, his arms tightening around Dipper.

“I,” Dipper began, his voice faint, “I don’t understand what you want me to do.”

Drefen snatched the paper up, stalking over to Dipper and shoving it in his face. “This! The prophecy! Tell me what it means, what it is predicting. I need to know if it is talking about our Star.”

“S-star?”

“Gideon Gleeful! The most fearless and powerful captain to sail the seas of this world, and if the prophecy is true, of all worlds.”

Dipper was absolutely shaking as he took the paper from Drefen’s hand, clutching it in both of his own. The nymph looked impatient and aimed the gun at Bill again, dropping the book to roughly pull Dipper from his arms. Both captain and first mate made noises of protest that were immediately silenced with a glare from a giant of a man with tattoos covering every inch of his body. Dipper was ushered over to the table again, clutching the paper to his chest as he tried to breath evenly. The discarded book was once again picked up by Drefen before he walked back over to Dipper.

“Tell me what it means, fish,” the gun was aimed at him now.

Dipper quickly turned around and held the paper up to the light.

“‘T-travel to a place, deep beneath the sea’ probably means the location where this prophecy was given. U-uhm, ‘Come to a place where all things may be’ indicates that this place is where the true colors of a person are shown, a place without secrets. ‘Spells are spun to trap a monster’ either means the author has trapped an evil entity, or plans on doing so.”

Drefen tapped his foot impatiently when Dipper paused, “Keep going guppy.”

“Don’t call me that!” Dipper snapped but didn’t continue as Drefen pressed the gun to his temple.

“Finish it, siren, or we’re having fillet for dinner.”

Dipper took a stuttered breath before he continued with a shaking voice, “‘Uttering a curse there ever after’ is another reference to this prophecy, which is more like a solemn promise, a curse is more of an ill will spell. ‘Eye for an eye, soul for a soul’ meaning, someone was wronged and the wrongdoer is going to pay for it in a similar fashion, but on a more dangerous level. Soul for a soul usually means a fate worse than death, it means complete and utter obliteration.” Dipper paused again. “Are you sure this is about Gideon? It doesn’t really bode well for him.”

“He is not the one suffering, you dolt, now keep going.”

“‘A child of yours will be eaten by dhole,’ dhole are dogs, vicious and can break bone, but I suppose in this that it’s just a symbol for something else, the monster most likely, but it’s unclear. ‘From the stars who weep bitter tears’ is probably in reference to the gods who will carry out this curse. ‘Count the time, eighteen years’ probably the estimated age of the person this curse is affecting, or maybe the time it will take for the prophecy to be fulfilled.”

The gun shifted as Drefen moved and Dipper felt his hand press against his lower back.

“‘A-All these things do come to pass,’” Dipper rushed, “pro-probably a double invocation, ensuring that what has been said will come to pass, but the wording is strange, could mean instability of the mind, but I’m not certain. ‘Beware, oh siren, watch your lass.’” Thoughts of Mabel popped into his head and Dipper furiously pushed them away. “The author is talking to someone who probably reminds them of a siren, someone quick and cold-hearted. He’s basically saying he’s going after someone close to him, like a lover or daughter, some feminine force in their life that the curse is going to target.”

Dipper’s heart was racing, the hand on his back now at his hip, rubbing it gently. The siren could feel his skin crawling.

“See? Was that so hard?” Drefen asked before pressing a kiss to Dipper’s other temple, causing the boy to nearly gag.

The gun was finally removed from Dipper’s head. The siren quickly stuffed the paper in his coat, turning to look at the nymph.

“Sea water kills trees, was your story about your forest a lie?”

“No, not all of it,” Drefen slowly flipped through the pages in the book. “Humans were destroying my home, but you see, Gideon killed them all. Slaughtered those filthy virus fungi that were destroying our forests. We pledged our allegiance to him in return for freeing us, honestly, he could do so much for you too. You want freedom?’ Drefen drew closer and Dipper stepped back. “He can give you freedom.”

Dipper wound his left arm back and punched Drefen square in the nose. The nymph fell back with a surprised cry and all hell broke loose. Several pirates turned to take out those who had weapons, gunfire rang out from around them, the noise shocking Dipper into stumbling further away from Drefen. Blood gushed from the nymph’s nose, dripping down his chin and onto the hand and gun he had pressed against his face.

“You bitch!” he yelled, eyes flying open to glare at Dipper.

Stumbling back, Dipper had to quickly duck a flying fist, he couldn’t tell who the pirate was, but he desperately wanted out of here. Heart beating erratically, Dipper looked for an exit, the gunfire in the room causing his insides to churn. A heavy hand landed on his shoulder and he whipped around, ready to land a punch, but finding the worried eyes of Rezin.

“Got to get everyone out,” was all the older man uttered, attempting to push Dipper along the wall to the exit.

“Bill?”

“Can handle hisself.”

“No, no, I can’t leave him, this is going to set him off!” Dipper became even more frantic.

If anything happened to Bill, his monster might surface, or worse, he could get hurt or even killed. With that thought, Dipper dove back into the fray, Rezin’s cries for him going unnoticed as he searched for Bill. Ducking and weaving through struggling bodies was difficult, especially when you were looking for a specific person. A flash of vibrant red and gold caught his eyes and he twisted his body to go in that direction, narrowly avoiding getting crushed beneath a falling man.

Bill stood against four other pirates, each of them with some form of a weapon. He had what appeared to be the leg of a chair in his hand, using that to swipe at anyone that got too close. There was a cut beneath his eyes and blood trickled from his nose. Dipper’s chest ached at the sight of him. Their eyes met briefly and for a moment Dipper could see a flash of fear go through them.

“Dipper, behind you!”

An arm was around the siren’s neck, pulling him back against another body. He screamed, trying to pull it off of him, twisting his body in an attempt to get away. Blood coated his captors hand, it smeared across Dipper’s shoulders. Harsh wheezing breaths sounded by Dipper’s ear, sending a waft of burnt wood and cut grass.

“Foolish fish, for that stunt you pulled back there _you_ get to be the one to send all these idiots to hell.”

The open book was shoved at Dipper, the vile tome opened up to a page depicting Ialdagorth. Dipper swallowed a scream, scrunching his eyes closed before he could really take in the image in the page. That book needed to be destroyed, summoning an outer god was suicide, everyone here would be destroyed. Summoning the wrong one could potentially destroy the world. Images from that summer night almost five years ago resurfaced. He couldn’t do that here, these people were mainly humans, they were fragile.

“O Deus ab extremis regni sidera testor te exibunt accipe puerum oblatione lignorum!” Dipper cried out, perhaps this would be a good enough answer, this terror wouldn’t come.

The room dissolved into silence, Dipper refused to open his eyes. A sharp scream sounded by his ears and Drefen fell, more like pulled, away from him. Shocked, the siren fell to the ground, eyes flying open to stare into an enormous inky black void that was steadily consuming a struggling Drefen. After consuming the nymph, the black shimmering void flickered out of existence once more. A steady thrum of static could be felt in the room, the book remaining open on the floor. Dipper scrambled over to it, closing the offending object and reaching the table for a candle.

“What are you doing!?” Someone cried from the other side of the room.

“The only reason that particular terror would show up, is because there is an object drawing it to this point.” Dipper began gathering bits of loose wood and piling them up on the floor. “This book obviously has every outer god we know of recorded in it. The ancients believe that knowledge is power, so naturally, the terrors are drawn to it.” He ignited some paper and smaller pieces of wood, blowing on it to make the fire bigger. “Unless you want some terrors to come devour you all, I’d suggest burning all record of these creatures. It’s too dangerous to remain in the realm of humans.”

“So then,” Johanes came forward, “you are not a human?”

Dipper scanned the crowd and locked eyes with Bill, “No,” he answered quietly, “I’m not.”

The few pirates who had been there with Drefen had either been knocked out or fled, everyone else still stood there in shock. Bill moved first, making his way across the room to wrap his arms around Dipper. Everyone looked frazzled, the stench of blood strong in the air. Dipper felt absolutely sick as he clung to Bill, the fire beside them steadily growing bigger. He let Bill maneuver him over to Rezin, the old pirate laying a hand on his shoulder as Bill walked back over and picked up the book. He opened it and began tearing out pages, a few pirates protesting but none stopping him. The pages ignited as he tossed them into the fire, the words and images becoming nothing more than ash.

Eventually Bill just threw the whole thing in, the leather of the cover leaking a foul odor as it burned. _Amen to the time of the outer gods, they won’t be able to enter this place again_. Bill ignored the voice as he walked over to Dipper and Rezin, his eyes meeting the older pirate’s. Rezin gave him a nod and Bill took hold of Dipper’s arm to lead him out of the room. Shockingly cold clear air hit them, making Dipper gasp, a small sob tearing through him.

“Sh, shh, not yet Pine Tree, can you wait till we get to the ship?” Bill’s voice was quiet, the most gentle Dipper had ever heard it.

He nodded, letting Bill lead him away from the place, from the room, from what he just did. He’d just sacrificed a nymph to the Blackness from the Stars, a potentially powerful terror that _never_ comes when summoned. By the time they reached the ship, Dipper was shaking uncontrollably. With little effort, Bill scooped him up and carried him to his quarters.

He felt the plush fabric and cushioning of the bed as Bill laid him down on it. The red and maroon fabric engulfed him as Bill folded the blanket around the shaking siren. Tears flowed freely from his eyes, his knees drawing up to his chest so Dipper could curl into a ball.

“I killed him,” Dipper’s voice was rough, his head pounding.

“And saved a bunch of other people,” Bill was still speaking quietly.

“I still killed him.”

The bed dipped as Bill sat, a hand going to rub Dipper’s back. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have taken you there.”

Dipper shook his head, wincing as it caused his head pain to flare. “No, no. I can’t imagine what might have happened otherwise, he could have summoned something worse.”

“Even so, you shouldn’t have had to go through that.”

Dipper nodded slightly. “I sacrificed him to a terror, I summoned an evil being into that place and it devoured him!” He shuddered. “I didn't think that it would come, every record of the Blackness of the Stars states that although it is intelligent it makes no effort for contact. It shouldn't have come.”

“I'm glad it did.”

The siren whipped his head around, eyes wide as he stared at Bill. “Why?” He asked with a wavering whisper.

“He might have killed you, or worse, if that terror hadn't come when you called, which begs the question, how did you know the spell to summon him?”

“I made some not so smart decisions when I was young.”

Bill was quiet for a moment before laughter erupted from his throat. He fell back onto the bed as he dissolved into hysterics. Dipper, not seeing the humor, wriggled out from the covers and laid across Bill, trying to pin the human down.

“It was serious! I was twelve! I tried to summon the equivalent of a demon god! I could have destroyed my home and everyone that lived there!”

Trying desperately to cease his cackling, Bill took deep breaths, the grin never leaving his face. “I'm just trying to imagine itty bitty guppy Pine Tree summoning a giant terror in the middle of the ocean. How did that turn out.”

“It was terrible, I coughed up some oily substance for two days.”

“Poor guppy,” Bill cooed, wrapping his arms around Dipper.

Dipper huffed indignantly, but let the room fall into silence, only the sounds of their breathing joining them in the room.

“Thank you,” Dipper whispered.

“You're still upset, though.”

“Of course I am, I may have despised Drefen and what he did, but that doesn't give me the right to dole out his sentence. Both of us are creatures of magic, our ancestors are from the same basic origin. The act of killing or sacrifice is not common among my kind, I could be in serious trouble, not to mention I've now attracted the attention of the terrors, some of which want to destroy this realm.”

“I think I'm beginning to see why your great uncle wanted to keep you from learning more about magic, as well as learning about the human world,” Bill spoke thoughtfully.

“Oh? What is the reason?” Dipper glowered at the other man.

“You're a magnet for trouble, angel fish, almost everywhere we've gone you've attracted the attention of some unwanted party. Then there's you affinity for magic, you're extremely powerful. I mean, you summoned a terror that doesn't make contact with anyone ever! I think your great uncle realized this, maybe not early enough, but eventually.”

Dipper drew away from Bill, turning his back to the captain. “So…” he mumbled, “you're going to hold me back now?”

Sitting up, Bill leaned against him. “No, that would be stupid. Your great uncle has a convoluted way of thinking if he believes holding out on you will protect you. If anything, we should start practicing magic as well as combat. Knowing how to protect yourself physically as well as magically will only benefit you.”

He could feel his eyes begin to sting, but the tears only gathered in the corners of Dipper's eyes. “You think so?”

“I do.”

Twisting around, Dipper pulled Bill into a tight hug. “I love you,” he whispered, the words just barely audible.

Bill squeezed back before holding Dipper out at arm's length, eyes boring into Dipper's in an attempt to find any form of deceit. The siren stared back, cheeks flared with color, his heart beating in his ears.

“Only in dreams do you love me back,” Bill spoke softly, eyes wide.

“We're both awake.”

After a moment of contemplation, Bill asked, “Can I kiss you?”

“Yes,” Dipper breathed, leaning forward.

Although he knew they had shared kisses before, the meaning was different this time, it was the first time they kissed for no other reason than wanting to. Dipper was warm, so warm and soft, his kisses were slow but meaningful and deliberate. His lips conveyed words he couldn't speak. There was fear and uncertainty, but there was also joy, a sense of happiness. Bill tasted love, he felt light, nothing mattered but this moment, their lips locked in a show of raw emotion. Dipper smelt like the sea on a morning after a storm, like pine wood, like home. Bill wanted to devour him.

He lay Dipper back onto the bed, kissing him still, most likely bruising the siren's lips. Dipper clung to him, huffing little whines as Bill nibbled on his lower lip, allowing the older man to lick into the siren's mouth. He cradled Dipper's head in one hand as his other dropped to a hip, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Eventually they broke apart, both of them breathing heavily. Bill pressed his forehead to Dipper's, eyes taking in the flushed face of his first mate. If he was honest, the whole thing was a little gross. They were sweating and probably had dirt all over them, both having blood smeared across their faces and hands.

“We should get cleaned up and then sleep,” Bill spoke, his voice loud in contrast to the quietness of the room. “We'll leave early tomorrow morning, beat the masses out of port.”

“Okay,” Dipper replied, opening his eyes and smiling at Bill.

Honestly, how could this small man be any more gorgeous? They slowly slipped out of the bed and quietly made their way over to the wash room. By the time the two of them were done, they were half dead on their feet. Stumbling rather than walking, they managed to get to Bill's quarters before collapsing on the bed, not bothering to put anything other than night trousers on. Sleep claimed them quickly, both happy to let the calming darkness take them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're bordering three weeks late now??  
> I am sorry, school started and I am busier than a bee, and wingless, so work is quite complicated.
> 
> Was is worth the wait? Let me know with a comment!  
>  ~~I'm a slut for validation, please comment~~
> 
> Love my beta, she is this fic's saving grace!  
> Fic blog


	19. Be Afraid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A stout man with white hair stood by the wheel, an angry look marring his pudgy features. He was shouting at someone whilst holding a rumpled letter in his hand. In his fit of anger, he stomped down the stairs to the lower deck. The room he was in was lined with large cages, each one filled with some angry or forlorn looking member, Bill’s crew?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHAT WHAT an update!?!!???  
> You bet your butt it's an update!
> 
> small content warning for the end, nothing really happens, but I know I don't like walking into something and suffering for it.
> 
> No fic art this time, sorry!

Within the moments just before the sun rises above the horizon to begin a morning, the world goes blue. Cold wind whips through the sails, its crisp bite whispering of the icy winds to come. Summer was drawing to a close, even the days slowly cooling into something a little more pleasant. If he had still been in the ocean, everyone would be preparing for the cold waters that came with this season. Those who were able would be distributed to posts to infuse the town boundaries with magic in order to regulate the temperature of the town. Then there was the date Mabel and Dipper waited for every year, the last day of August, their birthday.

At the Pines abode, Mabel would be eagerly waking Dipper up with a high pitched squeal, dragging him into the family room to begin the day. Stan would be in the kitchen making a “special breakfast” that he called his Stancakes, neither twin could ever decide if they liked it or hated it, but they always ate them without complaint. Ford would be vibrating in his seat as he waited to be able to bring the twins to his workshop and show them what he’d made for them. Wendy would come in early along with her brothers to give them each a hug and a friendly arm punch. Candy and Grenda would arrive around the same time to squeal at Mabel. Candy would not so subtly pinch Dipper’s cheek and tell him to grow a little more that year.

Eventually, they’d all end up on the top deck of the wreck to sing and play games. At this point, Pacifica Northwest would make an unannounced visit and give each twin something she felt they needed. Last year she’d given Dipper a blank journal and some casting stones while Mabel had gotten a communication device and some sparkling jewelry. Both twins had been ecstatic and Pacifica got more affection in one day than she probably got the rest of the year.

Grasping the fact Dipper would be spending his eighteenth birthday without Mabel was harder than he had previously thought. He hadn’t even known it was the last day of August until Bill had stated that the next day would be the thirty-first. He had immediately felt like the world was going to crumble around him. Bill had noticed almost immediately, but Dipper wasn’t about to admit that he was having trouble because he’d never been apart from his sister this long, let alone on their birthday. Dipper had a sneaky suspicion that the way he was feeling was akin to that of withdrawal.

It seemed as though the weather was on par with his emotions, because the skies were a dull shade of gray, the electricity in the air making the hair on the back of Dipper’s neck stand on end. A storm was brewing, and by the feel of it, it was going to be a pretty big one. An ugly feeling made itself known, chilling Dipper to the bone and putting him on edge. Storms were never something he handled well, and on this day he especially felt put off. It seemed the universe was out to get him today, throwing one thing after another at him, causing the siren a bout of anxiety and insecurity. He thought he was past this stage of questioning his actions and worrying about his family, but apparently he wasn’t.

Dipper let his thoughts drift to Mabel and the Stans. He wondered what they might be doing right about now, if they were celebrating or still upset over his disappearance. It made Dipper feel rotten to think of what his family went through after he just never showed up. Did they assume he was dead? He had almost died two weeks ago when he summoned the horror terror, not that his family knew. Did they see Bill’s ship and assume he’d been taken by pirates?

Was Mabel okay? That was the dominant thought running through his head. Waves of sadness and fear gripped at him when he thought of her, strong urges to fight and protect hit him, leaving a strange feeling in his gut. He had never quite felt so strong the need to defend, he felt hurt for no reason at all, he was angry and determined but there was nothing that was causing these emotions. He pursed his lips as he mulled over these almost foreign feelings.

An arm snaked around Dipper’s waist as a pair of warm and slightly chapped lips pressed against his cheek. A smile tugged at the siren’s lips and he turned to give Bill a kiss, the older man having to lean down so Dipper could reach. Honestly, why did Dipper get his mother’s slight figure?

“Are you going to tell me what’s on your mind?” Bill asked, leaning to rest his head on Dipper’s.

“It’s nothing important.”

“Liar,” Bill stepped back to get a better look at the sulking siren. “You have that look on your face when something specific is bothering you, something family.”

Dipper turned to give Bill a nasty look, “Do you enjoy studying my face so much you know what my expressions mean?”

“Don’t give me that look Pine Tree,” the captain laid a hand over his chest, “is it wrong to worry about my boyfriend?”

Vibrant red bloomed across Dipper’s face, the siren ducking his head as he huffed half-hearted insults under his breath. Bill grinned and wrapped him up in a hug, pressing another kiss to his cheek. A small smile lifted the corners of Dipper’s mouth as he laughed lightly, any bitterness he was feeling before melting away. He turned to wrap his arms around the taller man.

“How prepared are we to deal with a storm?” Dipper asked, his voice muffled by Bill’s coat.

“Pretty prepared, we have all the ropes needed for tying things down, all the hooks are well maintained, everything is in top shape. Why?”

“There’s a pretty nasty storm brewing, just look at the sky,” he pulled away to gesture.

“Skies tend to be gray on some days, that doesn’t mean that there will be a storm.”

“It’s not just the sky, there is electricity in the air, I can feel it crackling across my skin, can’t you?”

“A bit, but I’ve been a tad preoccupied trying to figure out if the reason you’re sulking is because of something I did.”

Dipper let his eyes roll and reached up to pat Bill’s cheek. “I’ll tell you later, but I think we should secure things now before the storm reaches us. I don’t know what it’s like on top of the water, but storms below the surface tend to be rather dangerous,” He shuddered slightly at the thought.

The captain looked as if he wanted to push their original subject further, but only nodded. “I’ll go alert the crew, after everything is secure we need to plan our course. With how long we’ve spent just recuperating from Gideon’s last offense, he’s probably had time to get a good lead on us and we still don’t know where he is or where he is going.”

“I might be able to help with that, actually. Go tell the crew to secure the cargo and livestock then meet me in my cabin.”

A large grin split Bill’s face as he snickered, “Okay, Pine Tree.”

Dipper scoffed, rolling his eyes at the captain’s back as he turned to go give the crew their orders. His stupid face was endearing and Dipper had yet to decide if he was lucky that was his or to throw himself into the ocean before it was too late to let go. With a small fond smile adorning his face, Dipper made his way to his cabin. He hadn’t really slept in it since the pirate meeting, but he still stored all of his items there, including Ford’s journals.

Although Dipper hadn’t done any extensive reading in the journals in years, he still knew most of the information held in them. Catalogues of strange creatures, paranormal plants and algae, several excerpts on hellhounds and why, under no circumstance, Stan should ever be allowed to keep one. Then there were the spells. Most of them were harmless, other than the raising of the dead, or the one that forced you to tell hurtful truths, or the one--on second thought, most of them were kind of terrible and dangerous.

Opening the first journal, he flipped through it carefully, aware of the time worn pages. He remembered Ford talking about the spell before using it, or at least a version of it, to find Stan after a particularly nasty fight between them. It was a location spell, one that Ford had created himself. Dipper flipped through several pages depicting rather tame terrors before finally finding the page containing the location spell. After a moment of thought, Dipper flipped back to the previous pages.

A large dark cloud mass was depicted on the page, its title simply  _ The Cloud-Thing _ . The description was short, claiming that it was merely a member of Azathoth’s court and a lesser god of the outer realm. Dipper shuddered, he forgot that up until the third journal Ford referred to the terrors as gods. His great uncle's writing had always been quite articulate and inspiring, but now Dipper remembered why Ford kept the first two journals locked up. It was as if some member of a cult had written them. Genius, but lead by madness, and the thought left a bitter feeling in Dipper's stomach.

Flipping back to the page he had originally been looking for, he glanced over what the spell required. A map, obviously, fine sand, pretty sure Bill had a jar on his shelf, and an item belonging to the person you’re looking for, he’d have to ask Bill for that one. The incantation itself seemed over all pretty simple, but Dipper had never attempted this spell before, so he would have to see for himself how things turned out. As far as his great uncle’s spells went, this was by far the tamest one he’d come across.

Bookmarking the page, Dipper flipped it back open to the first page. The disclaimer only said that he was a foreign traveler on a trip with his brother to study all the supernatural inhabitants of the world. A hand drawn picture of Stand and Ford smiling below the disclaimer brought a small smile to Dipper’s face. Stan was good for Ford, keeping him in line and away from things that were too dangerous for either of them to handle. Dipper really missed Mabel, the two of them had a similar relationship to their great uncles, although until now they had never spent more than a night or two apart.

A deep sadness enveloped Dipper again, a heavy feeling sinking in his stomach. Was Mabel as upset as him? He traced the drawing of Stan and Ford, letting out a watery sigh. The two of them didn't split on bad terms like their great uncles had, but Dipper had left without telling Mabel where he was going. He hadn't even said anything to indicate he wouldn’t be back.

The door opened and closed without the siren noticing, it was only when Bill wrapped his arms around him that he noticed the other. A hand covered his own, long digits wrapping around his smaller hand, Bill's dark skin a stark contrast to his own pale tone. He turned his hand palm up to entwine their fingers together.

“You miss them?”

Dipper only nodded, not trusting his voice to convey what was really bothering him. Yes, he missed his family, but he also missed the little things that he had never really focused on before. At the same time, he was glad for it all, he was happy here. He wouldn't give up Bill even for a lifetime back at the Wreck. He loved them all, but he also needed to do what felt right for himself. He squeezed Bill's hand and turned to give his captain a smile.

“Ready to find out where Gideon is?”

“As ready as I possibly can be, angel fish.”

“I’m going to need a few things then,” Dipper began, slipping off the bed to stand and turning the pages of his great uncle's journal to get back to the spell.

“Alright, what do we need, I’ll get you anything you ask for.”

“Three things, the map inlayed in your desk will do fine, I’m pretty sure you have a jar of sand?” Dipper looked to Bill who nodded to confirm that he did have it.

“The last thing?”

Dipper gnawed on the inside of his cheek. “Do you have anything from Gideon? It can be an item or a lock of hair, the spell requires something personal from the person we’re trying to find.”

Bill pursed his lips and let out a hum. “I can look, but I am unsure if there’s anything particularly specific that we could use.”

Taking a sharp breath Dipper inclined his head slightly. “If we can’t find anything then we  might have a problem.”

“I’ll look, but Gideon was pretty good in getting all his things off the ship before blasting it into oblivion.”

“Even if it’s just a strand of hair, anything I can get I can work with,” Dipper urged gently.

The captain nodded, “I’ll see what I can find, try to set things up the way you need them. I don’t mind you going through anything in our quarters.” He straightened and headed for the door.

Dipper’s breath caught in his throat, “Ours?”

Bill stopped and turned to face Dipper. “Yeah, unless you don’t want to be there anymore. I’m not being too presumptuous am I?” His voice wavered slightly as he asked.

“No! No, no, I really like that. I like being with you,” Dipper stuttered out, his face going red.

Bill’s own cheeks reddened as his face split in a wide smile. “That’s, that’s great, wonderful! I, I’ll go look now,” he gestured to the door, “I’ll try to be quick.” He left in a rush, his movements a little jerky as he all but ran from the room, his face hot with embarrassment.

_ Ah yes, Bill Cipher, ever the slick and smooth liar and conman. Clearly, your skills with men and women alike are far above that of any other. You’ve got this little siren swooning so hard that he’s just fallen into your arms. The great Captain Cipher has this little siren eating out of the palm of his hand, a one-sided love that he doesn’t believe in. All he wants is to lay this little man down and have a go at that- _

“Oh gods, shut up!” Bill growled under his breath, “what do you want from me?”

_ A confession, you kept denying and whining and now you’re falling over yourself to make him happy. Just admit that you were wrong about love and that what you really want from him is unwavering love and companionship, not just a fling only involving sex. _

Bill’s chest felt compressed as he headed to Gideon’s old quarters. “You know I can’t, maybe one day, but not now. We only just, just started being comfortable around each other. There are still boundaries,” his voice was barely above a whisper as he stepped into the untouched quarters of his former first mate.

The crew hardly noticed him as they ushered the animals below deck, carrying crates down to secure them in the lower decks of the ship. Sounds of their work were muffled as he closed the door behind himself, the warm humidity making him rather uncomfortable in the dark room. He first threw back the curtains to let in the light, opening the window to air out the room.

_ What boundaries are keeping you from admitting that you care about him? You have to show him that you care, it’s been two weeks and you’re still tentative to show more affection other than cheek kisses! I care about you, but you are being rather difficult. _

“I don’t want to scare him off,” Bill mumbled, heading over to the desk in the far corner. “I’d love to do so much with my little tree, but if I push him he will lose all trust for me. Admitting it is the first step to disaster and loss of control, and if I lose control I could lose him.” The voice didn’t make any more comments after that, allowing Bill some silence to think.

Most of the drawers were bare, pilfered and emptied during the mutiny. If Bill was being honest, it was probably destroyed, Dipper’s magic having fixed it along with the ship. His heart beat heavily in his chest as he thought of the young siren, hands hovering over a drawer handle as he fell into thought.

He liked Dipper, a lot, more than he had liked anyone else. Being who he was he had had plenty of flings and brief relationships, but he knew those would never last and he was content to never get deeply involved. He never wanted to be deeply involved.  _ Until now _ . Until now. A long sigh escaped his barely parted lips.

Dipper was different from anyone he'd ever come into contact with. The kid was shy and timid, but also strong-willed and incredibly opinionated. He was powerful and beautiful, passionate and admirable. Bill would be lying if he said he didn't feel anything for the small man, but was it really love? If love did exist, would it end the same for him as it did for his parents?

Shaking his head quickly, Bill opened the drawer and reached inside, pulling out a baby blue fine toothed comb. A large grin split his face as he found fine white hairs still threaded between the teeth.

“Looks like you forgot something, Gideon, that's poor planning on your part.”

Closing the drawer he headed back towards the door.  _ You know, this deep and intense attachment and affection you have for the kid, that's love. That feeling of longing and the need to just be around him, that won't go away. Why? Because you love him. You, Bill Cipher, are in love with a siren, and I can not wait for the moment you finally realize that. _

“Please be quiet, please, just, soon. Soon I will tell him, but not now, not when there's still so much that needs to be done.”

_ Why wait? It may be too late by then. If you keep worrying about what you might do, you’ll never be able to see what the both of you can accomplish. _ Bill ignored the voice, gripping the comb tightly in his hand and quickly leaving the room. What he had with Dipper was good right now, he was happy with the way things were going, even if it is slow and awkward at times. Putting a name to it could ruin what they had. Dipper believed in love, how could he tell the kid that love was just a feeble concept created for more sinister purposes? Even if love was a legitimate emotion, who was to say that it applied to them?

_ You’re hopeless. _ Walking a little faster than necessary, Bill reached his quarters, shutting the door firmly behind himself. The beginnings of what felt like a particularly nasty migraine was making itself known between Bill’s eyes. He looked over to his desk where Dipper sat, a concerned look adorning the man’s face. Questions shone in the siren’s eyes, brows raised to his hairline, but he didn’t voice his concerns and Bill was immensely grateful for that.

“Any luck?” he asked instead.

Bill smirked, hoping it was convincing, and held up the comb. “His narcissistic ass forgot one of his numerous combs.”

Dipper snorted, eyes squinting as his face contorted in amusement. “Bad for him, incredibly fortunate for us,” Dipper spoke, holding his hand out for the comb.

The captain dropped the object into the siren’s hand, leaning against his desk to overlook what Dipper had been doing. A fine layer of sand covered the glass sheet that protected the map inlayed in the desk. The journal, a faded and worn book that looked as though it stayed together out of pure spite, rested open in Dipper's lap. Cute little drawings, only slightly smudged, were surrounded by text describing the process of the spell.

Without reading, Bill could gather the basics of the spell. Something belonging to the target was needed, like a link to the person themself. The sand over the map would create a path for them to follow, the spell then was the real conduit of power. It would take the objects to make the path they needed. Dipper’s great uncle was clearly a genius, if not a little convoluted in his thinking.

“Anything I might be able to do to help you?” Bill asked, pushing away from the desk to hover around Dipper.

“Nothing more than some time and patience, silence is helpful as well,” Dipper replied, laying the comb down on the edge of the desk.

Humming his assent, Bill let his fingers trail over Dipper's knuckles, stepping away to give the siren some space. A faint smile drew the corners of Dipper's mouth up, his fingers flexing before taking hold of the worn journal. Lifting it up, the siren scanned the page one more time, clearing his throat before opening his mouth to read.

Dipper took a small breath before beginning the incantation, “Quod perierat requi-” Bill felt the thrum of electricity before anything else.

A flash caught both of their attention as it lit up the room, a resounding boom sending Dipper flying from the chair and right into Bill, halfway knocking the air from his lungs. The abused journal had fallen to the floor and the thrum of thunder faded out. Shaking hands clutched the back of Bill’s shirt, the siren burrowing into his coat as he trembled. Without a moment of hesitation, Bill wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, the tremors lessening slightly. Leaning down and over Dipper, Bill planted a kiss on his head.

“Hey, hey,” he cooed gently, raising a hand to stroke the soft brown curls that fell around the siren’s head. “It’s okay, apparently your predicted storm just caught up to us.”

“S-sorry, it just, it was so sudden, I thought that maybe-” Dipper didn’t finish his sentence, choosing to press his face further into Bill’s chest and let out a small whimper.

He was no longer shaking quite as violently as he had before, but Dipper’s shoulders still shook every few moments, his fists clenching and unclenching at Bill’s back. Bill gently rocked them back and forth, the sound of the rain hitting the ship resounding around them. Other rolls of thunder and flashes of lightening reached them, but Dipper seemed more composed now. Without warning, the siren removed himself from Bill’s arms, turning around and picking up the discarded journal in a single movement. His face was red from tears and embarrassment. The captain watched as his first mate steeled his expression and sat back down at the desk, roughly flipping open the journal and getting back to the page.

Dipper’s tone was different this time, harder and determined, underlying tones of anger laced the words as he spoke. “Quod perierat requiram et peto auxilium sibi per me sis tutissimus ibis!”

At first, there was nothing, Dipper stood there with his brows drawn and a pout on his face, but no reaction occurred. Then all at once the room lit up, sounds of scraping sand across a glass surface were heard from all corners of the room. Images flashed through Dipper’s eyes, he saw his sister, his great uncles, a few of his friends, all looking upset but determined. He felt anger and fear, all clouding his head. His head ached, as if it was being stretched and broken, he couldn’t move from his spot, some force keeping him in place.

Pressing his hands to the side of his head he felt as though he was sinking, falling, being torn at every angle. All images of his family and friends vanished, replaced with a ship he’d never seen before. A stout man with white hair stood by the wheel, an angry look marring his pudgy features. He was shouting at someone whilst holding a rumpled letter in his hand. In his fit of anger, he stomped down the stairs to the lower deck. The room he was in was lined with large cages, each one filled with some angry or forlorn looking member, Bill’s crew? He felt arms try to grip him, pain rippled through his body at the point of contact, so he ran, not seeing anything other than the vision clouding his eyes.

The white haired man screamed obscenities at them, but each of them refused to entertain any of his demands. The scene faded to black, the silence of nothing unnerving Dipper. Sounds of thunder crashing destroyed the reverie, his hands and nose going cold. In a burst of blue he was on another ship, a ghost ship? He saw Ford glaring at him, as if he could see him. His great uncle opened his mouth, black ink tainting the water as some monster began emerging from his great uncle’s maw. Dipper opened his mouth to scream, the feeling of a free fall twisting his stomach in knots.

Cold icy water hit him hard and all the images disappeared to reveal a gray sky raining down on him. He floundered for a bit, trying to determine if this was real or not. Water rose over him and he panicked, being too far away from his mother waters he would be unable to take his siren form again, meaning that there would be no way for him to get air. Struggling and kicking he managed to get his head above the surface of the water, gasping for breath and squinting in the rain. How did he end up in the ocean? His heart beat in tandem with the thunder, light flashing across the sky, and if adrenaline wasn't pumping through him, he'd be crying. Water kept crashing over his head, making it all the more difficult to stay above the surface, the temperature of the water making him stiff as well.

“Dipper!” Bill's voice was faint among the waves and rain, but Dipper tried desperately to turn towards the cries of his captain.

He managed to see the side of  _ Mens Scapus _ , the captain urgently securing a rope to the mast and himself before diving into the water. Dipper opened his mouth to call out to him, resulting in swallowing seawater. He gagged, flailing helplessly as the ocean fought to drag him under. Water closed over his head, his thoughts went out to Mabel and his great uncles, they'd never know what became of him. He thought of all the things he wouldn't be able to do, all the things that he had done. Bill. He was going to die, and Bill would be alone again. If Dipper died then his deal with the fish crew would become void and they would be free to go, and he knew they would.

A vice grip closed around Dipper's upper arm, pulling him back above the water. Upon breaking the surface, Dipper gasped for breath, hands going out to cling to his savior’s shoulders. Bill’s voice was in his ear, reassuring him that everything would be okay as he tied the rope around his waist. He could feel them both being pulled back towards the ship, several crew members hauling the waterlogged rope back onto the ship. Burying his head in Bill’s chest, Dipper shivered and cried. The visionary overload was confusing and frightening him, that was all on top of his emotional stress from earlier. He needed Bill, and Bill was there, if he focused on that then maybe it would stop hurting.

Rain continued to beat against them as they were lifted from the water, Bill having one arm around Dipper while the other held tight to the rope to keep them upright. Dipper must have been digging his fingers into Bill’s shoulders, but he could hardly feel anything, he didn’t even feel cold anymore. He heard more than felt them hit the deck, the soppy smack sounding dull to his ears.

Warm hands were on his face, brushing away his hair to get to his eyes and lift a lid. Bill’s panicked voice sounded so far away, Dipper’s vision blurring at the edges. The siren presses closer to the pirate, numb fingers curling into the wet fabric hugging his captain’s frame. A small burst of light came from Bill’s hands and Dipper was cruely shocked back into reality. Everything came into painful focus and Dipper felt like ice, the rain not helping his situation.

“-ne Tree! Dipper!” Bill called out to him over the rain.

“Cold,” Dipper croaked, teeth chattering, his body feeling heavy.

“Christ, of course you are, I’m going to get you somewhere warm, okay Dipper?” Bill asked in a rushed voice, standing and pulling Dipper into his arms.

“Th’map?” Dipper struggled to get his thoughts together, his head hurting, his body aching.

“It’s not important right now, we need to get you warmed up before you get hypothermia, if you haven’t already.”

Dipper let himself go limp in Bill’s arms as he was carried to the captain’s cabin. Bill was already removing Dipper’s wet clothing before they’d fully crossed the threshold into the cabin, discarding the wet top on the floor before tugging off the bindings around Dipper’s chest. His hands were almost unnaturally warm as they skittered down his torso to undo the string keeping the siren’s trousers secure.

“What are you-” Dipper managed to choke out.

“Gotta get these off you and get you dry and warm, you’re too cold right now, you feel like ice in my arms little tree,” Bill’s voice wavered slightly.

The captain shirked off his coat, the garment falling to the floor among the other discarded clothing. The front of his knees hit the bed and he laid the siren down, pulling off the trousers and underwear, tossing them away before pulling off his shirt and shucking off his own pants and undergarments. Goosebumps littered Dipper's pale skin, his chest rising and falling with stuttered breaths. Bill gently nudged his first mate, pulling the covers out from beneath him. Dipper moved over to his side of the bed, reaching up to clutch at the fluffed downy pillows. Bill crawled in after him, throwing the sheets over them and pulling Dipper flush against him, the young man tucking his head beneath his chin.

Bill whispered a small heart spell, only the words “aeterna flamma,” leaving his mouth to fill the tense silence.

The room steadily grew warmer, heat emanating from Bill. The captain was absolutely perfect, this criminal of a man being so gentle with him, even after he’d caused so much trouble. His everything ached, and Bill was holding him just the way he needed, and Dipper greedily leached off the warmth he provided. His thoughts drifted, his sister, his near deaths, the love of his life holding him, everything seemed to be crumbling and Dipper felt sick. Sick because despite all this, he wanted to still be selfish and indulgent.

“Sorry,” Dipper whispered, teeth still clacking together with his tremors.

“Don't be, I'm just glad you're alright,” Bill nearly choked on his words, the weight of what might have happened hitting him all at once. “What would I do without you? Who would be there to show me love exists?”

Bill’s eyes stung, his shoulders shaking slightly with the influx of mixed emotions. A long whine pulled itself from Dipper's throat, his arms wrapping around his captain. Puffy mocha eyes looked into the face of Bill. The captain stared back, tears gathering in the corners of his brilliant blue eyes. Even in the poor light, they were stunning and electrifying, nothing like any other shade of blue Dipper had seen and he lived in the ocean all his life.

“Today was my sister's and my birthday,” Dipper began, “the first birthday we've spent apart.”

Bill made no comment, rubbing Dipper's back to let him know he was listening.

“We used to talk about what we'd do when we turned eighteen and became adults, wonder if Mabel successfully started the seahorse rebellion,” Dipper chuckled, but it fell flat. “I miss her so much, I wonder if she did better than me today.”

Dipper sniffled and Bill brushed the forming tears away with his thumb. Bending his head down a little he planted a kiss atop the soft brown curls, still damp from their latest escapade.

“What happened after the spell went awry?” Dipper asked, attempting to change the subject.

Not about to let the ordeal go Bill nuzzled into Dipper's hair, “Happy Birthday, love,” he spoke loud enough to hear. “It's okay to cry about this, today has been… overwhelming, we'll do something to celebrate, I promise.”

Dipper only nodded, his face heating at the possible implications of what Bill said, his figure no longer felt quite so cold. “The spell?”

“It worked, but to be honest I just want to focus on you right now, that okay?”

He trailed his fingertips down the siren’s spine, eliciting a shudder and gentle gasp from the smaller male.

“What about your plans?” Dipper was unable to get the question out with an even tone, his breath catching in his throat as he heated up from embarrassment, he wanted, Bill was...

“That can wait,” Bill's thumb pressed into the base of Dipper's spine. “What would turn this bad day into something worthy of being called ‘happy'?”

“Just you,” Dipper whispered, moving his hands to rest on Bill's chest. “You make me happy.”

A small smile graced Dipper's face, probably the most genuine expression he'd given Bill all day. Bill's hands fell lower to cup Dipper's rump, gently rubbing circles into the soft flesh with his thumbs. Dipper shivered again, but both of them knew it wasn’t because he was cold. Whatever spell Bill had used, it made the captain incredibly warm. Dipper couldn’t press closer if he tried. Bill lifted one of Dipper’s legs and rested it on his hip, the siren’s breath hitching as his hand wandered slowly back up his thigh. Were they ready, was this okay?

“When did you learn that spell?” Dipper breathed the question, his heart picking up pace.

“After falling into a freezing siren infested ocean, I figured it might be smart to learn how to stay warm in any kind of situation,” Bill replied easily, his hand now resting just below Dipper’s belly.

The question was silent, Bill’s hand still in a safe position, but just at the edge. Dipper freed a hand from between their chests, placing it over Bill’s and squeezing gently before pulling it back up to their chests. He wanted this, oh how he wanted this, but he knew that with how unstable their emotion were, neither would look back on it so fondly. He felt selfish for it, but he wanted their first time to be a little more than a “we almost died” fuck.

“Not tonight,” he whispered gently, rubbing his thumb along Bill’s knuckles. “I want to, but not now.”

A small smile tugged at Bill’s lips and he pressed a kiss on the top of Dipper’s head. “Alright, then sleep now, it’s been… a long, long eventful day.”

Dipper chuckled, his body going lax as he slipped into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm a tease!!!! I promise all you nasties will get your sex chapter, Soos, just be patient!
> 
> Here's a small rundown of what my schedule has been like:  
> bad decisions  
> dog/house sitting  
> 4 essays  
> bad decisions  
> 2 new fandoms  
> a billdip tattoo  
> bad decisions  
> my parents finding out I am not a good child  
> 3 breakdowns  
> 2+ depression naps  
> several anxiety attacks  
> did I mention bad decisions?
> 
> Sufficeth to say, I have not been having the best time of my life, lmao.
> 
> In any case, please comment, tell me what you think!  
> Things I should fix, what you'd like to see, povs you want, or just say HI!
> 
> Drop by my tumblr and ask me a question!
> 
> Love my beta, she is this fic's saving grace!  
> Fic blog


	20. Our Reverie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _If Dipper had any trace of breath left he might have screamed, immediately he spread his legs, fighting the urge to wrap them around Bill’s torso._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is entirely smut, read end notes for more info!

Morning greeted Bill in the form of blue ambient light and a hand rubbing circles into his hip as sweet and gentle kisses were peppered down his jaw and neck to his shoulder and back up again. Smiling, the captain whispered a good morning, reaching a hand over to lay on Dipper’s waist, fingertips pressing down lightly. Dipper slowly climbed on top of him, his kisses a little harder against Bill’s skin as he took the man’s face in his hands.

Definitely more awake than before, Bill attempts to process what’s happening, his mind drawing more to the fact that his first mate is definitely doing ungodly things to his body. He groaned loudly, the fog of sleep leaving his mind as he met the brunette’s eyes.

“Now?” His voice is still laden with sleep, but he’s wide awake now.

“Please,” Dipper whined breathily, eyes wide and gazing lovingly at Bill, who in turn swallow and let his eyes wander along his boyfriend’s body.

The contours of Dipper’s figure were captivating, his chest swelling and depressing with every breath. Mocha eyes dart from his face down to his torso before quickly darting back up as a bright red flush consumes his cheeks. His mouth is slightly agape, each breath a little quicker than the last, and Bill longed to bruise those with his own, stake claim to this young man. He reached up to grip a hip, rubbing circles into the bare skin with his thumb. Silently praying to whatever god Dipper believes in that the siren will enjoy this as much as he is. Dipper slid closer, their naked skin catching for a moment before they lay flush against each other. Plush lips are pressed to his, pushing forward with inexperience but countered with persistence. Bill took the opportunity to place both hands on the smaller man’s hips, rubbing up and down his sides, cherishing the smooth unblemished skin. Lean muscle rippled beneath his fingers and Bill feels a little pride at contributing to that.

Dipper had woken this morning to the sight of his captain sleeping so peacefully. He had denied Bill the night before, not because he wasn’t ready, but because he wanted it to be done for more than just a need to feel alive. Call him selfish, but Dipper wanted to drink in every part of Bill, and give himself over completely. His heart surged with love and desire, both of them coherent and not pushed by fear riddled adrenaline. He wanted, no, needed Bill. He needed Bill like he needed the ocean, like he needed breath. It felt as though there was nothing they could do to be closer, yet it didn’t feel close enough.

Shuddering at Bill’s touches, Dipper continued to slide along his captain, ignoring every other part of himself and focusing solely on Bill and all the emotion pouring into the kiss. His body screamed with want, tearing through the nervousness that made his stomach twist in knots. Undeniable need, a craving to meld in with this man, this pirate, this demon, because no human or divine being could make him hunger for such a carnal compulsion, for this act. By all the deities and every being that held any semblance of divinity, he swears that he was born for this man. In this moment, with Bill holding his shuddering body steady, he felt safe and wanted. They’re barely touching and it was beginning to drive Dipper into a senseless disposition.

Without noticing it, Dipper was flipped so he’s the one pressed into the fine sheets that cover Bill’s bed. The man above him nearly purred as he leaned in to whisper, “Spread your legs, love, I want to make you feel more bliss than you’ve ever thought possible.”

If Dipper had any trace of breath left he might have screamed, immediately he spread his legs, fighting the urge to wrap them around Bill’s torso. He wanted to weep, to scratch, bite, but his body was a puddle of carnal need, not knowing how to go about this. So Bill lead on, a hand receding down Dipper’s naval to caress the skin there. The siren mewled and gasped, arching into the gentle touch that was so unlike the captain’s character, but so similar to how he handled the siren. Bill was going so slow, tantalizing and tender, but Dipper wanted it all. He wanted the euphoric feeling that this intimacy promised, impatient and needy.

The intrusion of the first finger had Dipper jolting, his entire body shook as something so foreign pressed into such a private part of him. He was already naturally slick, having had enough time to respond accordingly to the yearning and administrations that had lead to their current position. A high pitched moan, almost a whine, tore its way out of Dipper’s throat as Bill hooked the finger plunging deeper into Dipper. He undulated the digit, seeking to drag more sounds from the slight body beneath his own. The smaller man’s hands clenched into the sheets, short nails digging crescent marks into his palms. Before he knew it, Bill was pushing another finger in, pressing as far as he could go, scissoring the digits and seeking. Dipper arched and finally let out a scream, his wind chime voice slipping through the “o” his lips made. His hands abandoned the sheets to find purchase in Bill’s hair.

The captain battled with himself, wanting desperately to wreck the small body beneath him, a dark sinister part of him wanting to damage, leave permanent marks that would scar. Vibrant blue was drowned out by the black pool of irises, blown wide with pure emotion and wanton. The hand still on Dipper’s hip dug into the flesh, making up for all the gentleness of his other hand. He slipped a third finger in, thrusting in and out before scissoring those as well, eliciting more gasps and moans from his lover. Pressing his nose into Dipper’s neck, he let his breath ghost along the flesh, goosebumps rising across the other’s skin. Nipping gently, Bill pressed his mouth to the juncture between Dipper’s neck and shoulder, sucking the skin and leaving beautiful shades of purple and blue behind.

Dipper’s whine thrummed beneath his lips, and Bill moved to another spot to make an equally beautiful bruise, all the while continuing to thrust his fingers in and out of the other man. Blunt nails dug into Bill’s back as Dipper clung to him, attempting to get even closer when there was already hardly any space left between them. Another whine tore from the siren’s throat as he gripped Bill’s head, pulling the other away from his neck so their eyes could meet.

“Bill,” Dipper spoke, sounding winded, “I need you now, please, please I need you right now.” His pupils were dilated, the brown being drowned out by the black.

“Fuck,” Bill cursed, pulling his fingers out of Dipper, much to the siren’s displeasure.

He reached over to his bedside table, nearly yanking the top drawer open to grope around for the small bottle he kept there. His fingers closed around it and he pulled it out without bothering to shut the drawer, flicking the lid open with a thumb before he’d even gotten it all the way to them. The oil smelt sweet with bitter undertones, like one of those small fruits Bill had pocketed on the last town visit. Mocha eyes watched with interest as Bill poured the oil into his hand and then fisted his dick. A high pitched hum snuck passed Dipper’s lips and he tried to thrust into Bill’s hips

Hissing at all the stimulation, Bill held Dipper down with one hand and lined himself up, eyes flicking to Dipper as he began to slowly slide into him. With a gasp, Dipper’s head fell back, his mind a commotion of carnal need and adoration. Bill continued sliding in until their hips met, the pleasure overriding any pain there might have been. They lay still for a moment, Bill letting Dipper get better situated and Dipper relishing the feeling of complete and utter fullness. Pressing up, Dipper whined, eyes begging Bill to get on with it already. Bill obliged eagerly, slowly pulling out before pushing back in, the siren’s head pressing back into the pillow as he moved.

Bill began to gradually pick up speed, thrusting harder into Dipper as they continued, the siren’s legs finally wrapping around Bill to encourage his movements. Beautiful bruises were eagerly sucked into Dipper’s neck as they both felt their climax approaching. Dipper dug his fingers into Bill’s back, whispering a mantra Bill couldn’t quite understand. Bill’s warm hands kneaded Dipper’s ass, drifting up to his hips then back down again to aid his efforts to thrust in deeper. Flush against each other, Dipper cried out, finally reaching climax and spasming against Bill who followed not too long after, biting Dipper’s neck one last time to swallow a moan.

All muscle fell lax, Bill half remembering to pull out and roll onto his side so he wouldn’t crush Dipper. The siren huffed softly, tucking his head into Bill’s neck and suckling on the flesh there to make a few bruises of his own. Bill chuckled and carded his fingers through Dipper’s soft brown locks, making a mental note to get their hair cut at some point in the near future. Despite knowing that they’d only woken up hardly an hour previous, Bill’s body screamed at him to sleep, and he was certain Dipper felt the same. Kissing the top of Dipper’s head, Bill let himself drift back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...  
> That happened...  
> I probably won't write another smut chapter to put into the fic, if you _really_ want more smut, let me know and I'll post the "in-between chapters" that feature all the smut and fluff you could want. From this point on, all the chapters are going to be plot heavy, with some fluff to cement it, don't worry about that.
> 
> I'd like to apologize for being so behind on updating, there's really no excuse other than I have been busy with life and other hyper-fixations. I was also dumb and started writing more than five other fics I probably won't ever post, but hey, such is life.
> 
> Here's kind of how my writing schedule is going  
> Drowning in Your Depths  
> DLYHPYS  
> Cipher's Wandering Mansion  
> Salem  
> Hanging on Wires
> 
> _and the many more unposted works!!!!_  
>  they're all chapter fics, wish me luck!
> 
>  
> 
> Love my beta<3  
> Check out the official blog!


	21. On Course

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mabel drooped, her eyes flitting to where the storm was growing. A sudden spike of anxiety and fear hit her, causing Mabel to hunch over and grip her chest, letting out a strangled cry. Stan was by her in a moment, the eyes of the crew on them as they heard her choking on air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update!

Water lapped at the sides of an worn old ship, wearing away at the already fading paint on its side proclaiming the ship’s name. Mabel couldn’t deny that the Stan O'War belonged on the open seas as opposed to the bottom of the ocean as a not so cheap attraction. Gliding along the water, Grunkle Stan and Ford’s ship was an astounding sight to behold. Even after weeks above the surface, Mabel still marveled at the ship and how comfortable her great uncles were with their legs and maintaining the ship's integrity. She, like the rest of the rag tag crew, had experienced trouble adjusting to legs and then getting the hang of maintaining a ship of the Stan O’War’s caliber.

Both Stan and Ford had been surprisingly patient with them, easing them into a life above the ocean, despite their obvious urgency to start tracking Dipper. Mabel herself was antsy, a new word Stan had used to describe her demeanor as she fidgeted by the foremast. The foreign emotions she had begun to feel never ebbed away, but it had become easier to distinguish which emotions were hers and which ones were not. She was almost certain she was feeling Dipper’s emotions, even if some of those emotions confused her at times. He seemed over all pretty content, but there were times flashes of fear or terror ripped through her and she knew Dipper needed her there. At one point she had even felt his anger, it had spiked briefly before quelling into that of annoyance.

She had tried interacting with these emotions on several occasions, but if Dipper had felt anything on his end he hadn't sent any emotion back at her. So now she stood off to the side, waiting for her turn to spar with Stan. Her friends had struggled a little more with sparring, having never been subjected to the living room brawls she had grown up with. Sword fighting was taxing but enjoyable all the same, and Mabel marvelled at the forming muscles in her arms and torso. Learning how to handle a gun had been much less fun and a great deal more tedious, but Ford was nothing if not thorough in explaining the proper use and maintenance of firearms.

Still, Mabel was anxious. Dipper had been gone for weeks now, and they were no closer to finding him than they had been at the beginning of their mission. It showed in the expressions and demeanor of those that were with them, they were beginning to lose hope in ever finding Dipper. Ford had tried to recall the location spell from one of his journals, but it had been so long since he had done anything with, or similar to, the spell that he was having difficulty performing it. It didn’t help that her great uncle was frazzled beyond belief and stressing so much he could hardly even sleep. Both Stan and Mabel had been tasked with making sure he was maintaining a functioning schedule, often scolding the older man to take better care of himself. Now looking at the whole situation, they were all in a pretty dour mood, their hope dwindling every hour.

Turning west, Mabel watched as the sun began to sink towards the ocean, arms open for the sea’s embrace and the relief night would give it. Far off in the distance, to the southwest, dark clouds rumbled. The storm was far enough from them that no one had to worry, but Mabel’s chest clenched at the thought of her brother having to deal with storms. It wasn’t the storm that would frighten him, but the loud noises and the crashes, the sounds made by wood breaking and people screaming, the only sounds they could hear the night-

“Mabel,” Stan’s gruff voice broke Mabel’s train of thought, the young woman turning to face him with a forced smile.

“You can drop it, pumpkin, you don’t have ta hide your emotions from me,” Stan rested a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.

Mabel’s smile fell from her face and she slumped, eyes falling to the sword at her side. “Ready to spar?”

“Not in the least,” the old man threw his weapon down, letting go of her shoulder to drag over a crate and gestured for her to take a seat.

As Mabel sat, Stan grabbed another crate for himself to sit on. “What’s on your mind, kid? You look more worried than usual.”

Mabel gestured and huffed a weak sigh. “The storm southwest of us, I guess I’m just a little anxious,” she mumbled, hunching over herself.

Stan reached over and rubbed her back, the motions tentative and inexperienced. “I know kid, I’m worried about him too, and though he tries to hide it almost as much as I do, Ford is worried as well.”

A small smile lifted her cheeks momentarily before falling once more. “He could be anywhere Grunkle Stan, and we still have no idea. No one in port has seen him, or at least no one who will tell us,” she bit her lip as she thought over all they’d tried to do to find Dipper, visiting ports the Stans had before, larger ports, ports pirates would frequent. Nothing had come up so far, no one had mentioned seeing that particular ship, although their description of it was probably off quite a bit. They didn’t mention Dipper as it was highly unlikely the pirates ever let him atop the deck.

“We’re trying sweety, everyone’s pulling all their resources, even some not so friendly acquaintances of ours are keeping their feelers out for any news. We’ll find him, even if it takes us another month or two.”

Mabel leaned over so her head could rest on her grunkle’s shoulder. A spike of what felt like anticipation hit her, the emotion just as foreign as the others, and she rubbed her chest. She hadn’t told anyone of these feelings yet. She didn’t even know if they were Dipper’s, and even if they were there was no way for them to use it to find him. It would probably worry them more, but, Mabel bit her lip, but she couldn’t hide anything from her great uncles.

“Stan?” Mabel asked tentatively.

“What is it?”

“What if… what if you could feel Ford’s emotions? Like, it was a one-way thing, but you could tell exactly how he felt at any random moment, or when his emotions suddenly flared. What would you do?”

“I think I’d keel over from anxiety and guilt.”

Mabel chuckled and punched his arm slightly, sitting back to meet his eyes. “No, really, what would you do?”

“What brought this on?”

“I think I can feel Dipper’s emotions.”

The two stared at each other for a moment, Stan trying to process what exactly Mabel had said. When he finally seemed to grasp it, his brows furrowed, his eyes searching Mabel’s to find the joke. When he found nothing but a serious expression, his face went lax.

“How does he feel?”

Mabel pulled her knees to her chest, gaze falling to the deck of the ship. “Okay? In the beginning he was really anxious, but also, elated? He felt… at ease, free? There have been spikes of fear and pain, but not for extended periods of time. It’s so strange, and I don’t think it’s both ways.”

Stan sat back and let out a breath, “You sure?”

Mabel nodded and Stan let out a deep sigh, reaching up to rub his face. “What did that kid get himself into?”

Mabel knew Stan hadn’t meant to say that loud enough for her to hear, but she’d heard it, and now an uneasy feeling was beginning to twist in her gut.

“Grunkle Stan… you don’t think Dipper made a deal, do you?”

Something dark passed along Stan’s eyes before his expression fell blank once more. “I don’t like to assume things, pumpkin, but if your brother did make a deal then we might be dealing with a completely different situation than we thought.”

“Could he be safer though?” Mabel felt a rebellious spike of hope.

“If it truly is a pirate he made a deal with, then I doubt the likelihood of his safety.”

Mabel drooped, her eyes flitting to where the storm was growing. A sudden spike of anxiety and fear hit her, causing Mabel to hunch over and grip her chest, letting out a strangled cry. Stan was by her in a moment, the eyes of the crew on them as they heard her choking on air. Her vision blurred and blackened, a beautiful ship filled her mind, spell etchings carefully carved into the sides. Billowing sails rippled in heavy winds, rain beginning to come down harder. The inside of a cabin was before her eyes, a worn map with sand covering it, forming a path. She desperately logged the information away.

The wood of the Stan O’War dug into her shoulder and Mabel briefly wondered when she’s fallen to the deck. White blotted her vision next, fading back into the view of a horrifying scene. A dozen or so people trapped behind bars, each one looking angrily at a stout white-haired man who was screaming at them. Mabel could feel someone sitting her up, her eyes focused for a moment on Ford, his mouth opened as he tried to get through to her.

Black inked poured from his mouth, surrounding her, suffocating her. Mabel attempted to scream, but the void blackness her great uncle poured out was choking her into a realm of nothing. Out of the darkness drew a monster with many eyes, each one focusing on her, crowding her, devouring her. Yells pierced Mabel’s perception, the vision slowly fading from her sight, leaving her shaking in the arms of her great uncles. She clung to them, her eyes wide and wet, her heart thundering in her chest. She felt fear twice as strong, she felt cold and frightened, she felt alone.

“Mabel, Mabel, sweety, can you hear me?” Stan’s frantic voice repeated the question quietly in her ear and she whimpered.

“I know where Dipper’s going,” she croaked out, her body wracking with violent shivers, “I know, I know where they’re going to be, he’s, we’re going to find him, I know now, I know.”

“Mabel, you’re babbling,” Ford gently shook her, “we need to get you to your cabin, you’re putting yourself in danger.”

Without her realizing it, she’d begin shaking her head quickly. “No, no I’m fine. It’s Dipper, he used a spell, and it passed over us, I know where he’s going now.”

“She’s delusional, could it be a heat stroke?” Ford questioned Stan, his eyes filled with concern.

“She was fine just moments before, she was talking about her magical connection to Dipper.”

“She found it? I thought they’d lost that ability when-”

“The Ionian Sea,” Mabel cut Stan off, “that’s where they’re headed, just off the islands of Ionian, close to Italy and the channel to Greece. I read the map, the trail of sand was leading there, he used your spell,” Mabel giggled at the knowledge she’d been able to retain. “He was using your tracking spell, and he was using so much power, like he’d been practicing,” she was mumbling now, her body growing tired and heavy.

Stan merely grunted as he lifted her into his arms, the others quickly moving out of the way to give them space. “Mark it down Ford.”

“Stanley, she’s not in her right mind right now.”

“Probably due to an influx of her brother’s magic, we’ve seen it happen before, now mark it down on the map and turn us to follow in that direction,” Stan spoke firmly, walking over to Mabel’s cabin, ending the conversation.

Once inside he laid the girl down on her bed, shifting the blankets and throwing them over her, drawing the curtain that separated the room closed. He threw several stuffed toys on her bed as well, doing his best to make it comfortable for her as she continued to hum and babble, her eyelids fluttering as she tried to fight sleep. He caught a few words, bits of a song sung long ago. She babbled like she had when she was a child, barely old enough to remember her name. Stan could feel the magical aftershocks, Dipper’s signature setting his senses on overdrive, his heart picking up pace at the prospect of finding him.

Find your family, bring them home, keep them safe. The familiar mantra ran through his mind as his heart clenched. He wouldn’t lose them, not what little family he had left. He leaned over to press a kiss to Mabel’s head, patting her gently as he straightened out. He would find Dipper, bring that boy home, and make sure that he was alright. He owed it to their parents to keep the twins safe, he owed it to Shermie, he owed it to his parents. Family was everything, especially when you have nothing.

Mabel’s mind was alight with visions, images of her past, Dipper’s smile and Stan’s gruff expression. Ford’s hand as he jotted down notes, Dipper’s mewling as they slept that first week with their great uncles. Their father’s embrace and tender voice, their mother’s long auburn hair and bright purple eyes. She could feel their warmth, their wholeness, and for the first time in years, Mabel wept for the loss of that wholeness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wait, what do you mean we jumped from a sex chapter to Mabel!!?!?!?!?!!  
> Oops?  
> You'll find out what's up with the boys (hopefully) next week.
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> I live for Validation!


	22. The Path is Clear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill left the desk to walked up behind Dipper, arms winding around his waist. “I'll go, you look like you got thoroughly fucked.”  
> Dipper reached behind himself and flicked Bill’s nose. “Gee, I wonder why.” He turned to face Bill, hands going up to rest on the captain’s chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No smut in this one.

New beginnings occur when something monumental happens, when a truth is revealed or an action is taken that changes the perspective. The big picture becomes a little distorted before being straightened out, but nothing is ever quite the same again. Sometimes it can be as simple as rearranging furniture to make a room feel bigger, other times it is the decision to leave behind what you knew to pursue something you want to know. In Dipper’s case, it is coming to the realization that a part of himself had changed, and that it might just be for the better. Even if this change wasn’t for the better, it didn’t matter now.

Waking up pressed against Bill’s side was all of what constituted a new beginning. Waking up with Bill was normal by now, they had been sharing a bed for a while. However, after being so intimate with Bill, waking up next to him felt new. Bill was warm and both of them were sweaty, the situation undoubtedly uncomfortable, but Dipper didn’t care. His hips burned slightly, and there was slowly drying liquid on his thighs, but all he could focus on was Bill’s peaceful expression as he slept.

Pressing a kiss against Bill’s jaw, Dipper began to slowly peel himself away from his captain. Groggily, he made his way to the edge of the bed, untangling himself from the sheets as he went. Somewhere he must have placed his hand wrong, because one moment he was at the edge of the bed, and the next he was on the floor with his legs flailing in the air. He laid on the floor for a moment, stunned at his sudden change in position. Chuckling brought him out of his shock and he flopped over to shoot a glare at Bill, who was tiredly looking down at him from the top of the bed.

“Not a word out of you,” Dipper half whispered, his voice a little hoarse and his face bright red.

“Need some help?” Bill asked, his voice also a little scratchy.

Dipper only pouted and gave him a nod. The captain slipped easily off the bed to kneel down and pick the siren up. He laid him on the bed and pressed a kiss to Dipper’s temple.

“Where were you going?” Bill asked.

“Back to the map, we still have to find out where Gideon is.”

Bill pouted but nodded his head. “The map is still there, along with the dust trail.”

“Perfect,” Dipper grinned as he slid off the bed successfully this time. “Let's plan our route and gather supplies then.”

“If the storm didn't damage the inner parts of the ship, we should still be good on supplies. As for the course, we need to plan our approach tactfully, which also means more training. Are you up for that?”

“Of course I'm up for training, I get to see you sweaty and shirtless,” Dipper teased before his expression became a little more serious. “We need to be aware of the time it should take us to get to Gideon and plan our supplies accordingly. I think we should also make sure to have a surplus in case we need to accommodate for any setbacks we might encounter.”

Bill leaned on the desk and shot Dipper a wry smirk, “We're both naked, Pine Tree, there should be nothing you haven't already seen. As for the supply chart and timing, there should be a parchment all filled out.”

Raising a brow, Dipper’s face turned playful again and he grinned back, “Yet there is still so much left unexplored.”

Bill chuckled as he turned to look over the map. “This is good though, the sand may be fine but it cut a clear path. Gideon is not very far from us, perhaps a week and a half if the wind is on our side,” he finished, looking back at Dipper.

Walking over to Bill's chair, Dipper grabbed the captain's cloak and slid it onto his shoulders. He turned and shot Bill a smug smile, causing the man to chuckle again before looking back at the map.

“You're being swallowed whole, Angelfish, the first siren to ever be eaten by an article of clothing, and I never asked what to put on your tombstone,” Bill feigned a horrified tone.

Laughing, Dipper headed over to Bill. “You’ll figure something out, you are the most feared pirate atop the seas after all,” he giggled, poking Bill’s nose.

Face scrunched, Bill stuck his tongue out at the smaller man. “Don’t patronize me sapling, I know where you sleep.”

“Mmm, and I know who falls asleep first.”

Dipper’s cheeks dimpled as he smiled, and Bill could almost imagine the insanely sharp siren teeth that should be there. He leaned down to capture the other’s lips in several quick kisses, humming happily as Dipper eagerly accepted them. His hands rested on Dipper’s hips, thumbs rubbing lazy circles into the soft flesh there.

“You’re such a handsome man, did you know that?” Bill asked, cocking his head to the side with a smile.

“So I’ve been told,” Dipper responded, leaning up to try to catch Bill’s lips again.

He obliged a few times, enjoying Dipper’s attention. When they finally parted again, Bill was a little winded, his hand caressing Dipper’s back beneath the coat. The siren giggled, his eyes twinkling with mirth. He tweaked Dipper's nose, kissing the tip before pulling back up and popping his back. Dipper snickered and mumbled something that sounded like ‘old man’ under his breath. He turned to look over the map once more.

“The Ionian Sea, huh?”

“Apparently so. Like I said before, a week and a half if the wind is on our side, three if the wind is against us and we have to make a stop somewhere.”

Dipper made a humming sound, eyes scanning the map and the clear cut route they now had. With a final sound of affirmation, Dipper turned and walked back over to the bed. It looked almost as if he was waddling and Bill grinned victoriously at the sight, a light chuckle escaping his lips. Dipper turned to raise a brow at him, reaching down to pick up their discarded soggy clothes. He turned back to look at them, wrinkling his nose before tossing them back onto the floor.

“We should get dressed and meet the crew, we don't know how long that trail to Gideon will remain fresh and I have no desire to fall off the boat again.”

Bill left the desk to walked up behind Dipper, arms winding around his waist. “I'll go, you look like you got thoroughly fucked.”

Dipper reached behind himself and flicked Bill’s nose. “Gee, I wonder why.” He turned to face Bill, hands going up to rest on the captain’s chest.

Laughing, Bill bent to peck little kisses along Dipper’s jaw and throat. He kissed down and along Dipper’s collarbone, nipping and sucking at the juncture of his neck. His arms still around the siren’s waist, he let a hand trail further down to squeeze the soft flesh of his ass, eliciting a sharp gasp from Dipper. The boy’s hips twitched and Bill giggled, the younger man pressing closer to wrap his arms around Bill’s neck. A knock at the door had them flying apart. Bill stumbled and grabbed at his trousers, hiking them up to at least appear somewhat modest. Dipper pulled the captain’s coat tighter around his form, face aflame with embarrassment.

“You may enter,” Bill called out as he finished buckling the belt to fasten his still damp pants to his waist.

The door opened to reveal an extremely unamused First Scale, who had previously taken a wet rag to Bill for continuously referring to her as such. Soos just called her Abuelita, so that’s what she’d come to be known as, and for a woman of her stature she was certainly able to pack a punch. She liked Dipper well enough, but her respect for Bill clearly needed to be earned, and by the looks of it, she wasn’t too pleased with him at the moment.

“The crew is currently waiting to hear from either of you,” she began talking, her voice taking on a sweet little lilt that nowhere near matched her expression. Bill gulped. “I would suggest addressing them as soon as possible, but I understand if you both take some more time to get properly dressed. Just drop off your wet clothes with Soos and they’ll be taken care of.”

Both Dipper and Bill simply nodded at her, their faces as red as the coat Dipper was still self consciously pulling around himself. Abuelita merely hummed and turned for the door. Just as she was closing it, she quickly turned to shoot Bill a look.

“Don’t think just because you’re the captain I won’t come after you if you hurt him, the ocean is vast and I know how to dispose of a body.”

With that she shut the door behind her, leaving them in utter shock and silence. They turned to face each other and Dipper had to stifle a laugh, Bill looked like a fish with the way he was gaping at him. Taking pity on his captain, Dipper walked over to him and undid his belt, letting the soggy pants fall to the floor. He let his hands rest on Bill’s hips for a moment before wrapping them around the older man, drawing him into a warm hug.

“Let’s get dressed, I don’t feel like getting scolded by her again,” Dipper spoke, his voice slightly muffled as he pressed his nose into Bill’s chest.

“You absolute tease, do you do this to all those you’ve lain with?”

“No?” Dipper stepped away, moving over to the chest where they kept their clothes. “I’ve never,” he hesitated before turning to look Bill in the eyes, “I’ve never had sex before this morning,” he admitted, his face burning again.

Bill’s expression became indiscernible as he continued to hold Dipper’s gaze. A pit of anxiety settled in Dipper’s stomach. He turned back to the chest of clothes, desperate for the distraction, his hands shaking as he pulled out one of Bill’s off white shirts. Arms wrapped around his torso and Bill stiffened for a moment.

“Was I a good first?” Bill’s voice was uncharacteristically gentle, breath ghosting along the shell of Dipper’s ear.

The anxiety melted away and Dipper turned to wrap his arms around Bill’s neck. “You’ve ruined me for everyone else, and I couldn’t be more happy about it.”

His confession was rewarded with a swift kiss, one of Bill’s hands moving to cradle his head so he could deepen the kiss. Dipper wound his fingers in Bill’s hair, only to pull back and crinkle his nose.

“We need to bathe, your hair isn’t as soft as it normally is.”

Bill laughed, “I think we should address the crew first, I don’t fancy upsetting Abuelita any more than I already have. Then we probably should do some self grooming.”

Dipper only nodded and tossed Bill his shirt, reaching back into the chest for some trousers and a new belt, tossing those to Bill as well. He pulled out one of his own shirts and some loose shorts, shedding the coat and slipping into his clothes before turning to face Bill again. He slipped his hand into Bill’s and gave it a gentle squeeze which Bill returned with a smile. Bill didn’t bother trying to slip on his soggy boots, the both of them choosing to forgo the footwear. Leading the way Bill opened the door for both of them, stepping out into the late afternoon light.

The crew, or most of them, were already milling about the deck waiting for Bill to give them their orders. Dipper noticed Soos wasn’t among them and figured his friend was probably still below deck in the mess hall. Several heads turned, the small chatter coming to an end as they all gave Bill their attention.

“Thank you all for being patient,” Bill started speaking, “Luckily for us we no longer have to float aimlessly atop the water in hopes we meet up with our target.” That managed to get a few chuckles from the crew, a few exchanging bemused looks. “That being said, we’ll be setting course for the Ionian Sea as soon as possible, our target is currently stationed there just off the islands of Greece. With luck on our side we should reach Gideon within two weeks, no more than three if the wind is poor.”

As Bill spoke the crew all seemed to relax, one or two of them even smiling at the news, their relief clear in their faces. Dipper ached with them, they missed their mother waters too. With a few more words and assurances, the crew dispersed back to their stations, leaving Bill to carry out his own chores and duties. He turned to give Dipper a smile, the siren giving him one of his own as the captain curled an arm around his waist.

“We should probably take care of our wet clothes before Abuelita comes after us for it,” Dipper spoke before Bill could swoop down for a kiss.

Pursing his lips, Bill nodded, “Yes, I rather like having my head connected to my body.”

“Did she threaten to dismember you?”

“Among other things, but she’s just looking out for you. Can’t say that I blame her, I am the demon captain of the sea,” Bill joked.

Dipper lightly punched Bill’s arm, freeing himself from the captain’s hold so he could head back into their cabin. Collecting the clothes from the floor, the two of them headed down to the kitchens where Soos was, the man turning to greet them with a smile.

“Thank the stars the two of you are alright, everyone was worried when you jumped off the ship little dude,” Soos patted Dipper on the back, taking the damp clothes from both of them.

“Well, I promise not to make it a habit, it was not a fun experience plunging into freezing foreign waters in the dead of night due to unforeseen magical backlash.”

Soos chuckled, dumping their clothes into a hamper before carrying it over to the washing basin. “Good, I don’t think my heart could handle another one of those.”

“I have chores I need to do,” Bill spoke up, his hand gently pressed against Dipper’s lower back, “You can rest today if you want, recover from yesterday.”

“I’ll be fine, if we’re going to be reaching Gideon soon then we have to be ready, which means no more skipping out on combat training,” Dipper pointed an accusing finger at Bill.

Holding up his hands in surrender, Bill chuckled, “Sir, yes sir. See you at three sharp, won’t be late, sir.”

“Damn right you won’t be late! However, I think I’ll help Soos with the laundry until then, Susan is in one of her moods and it’s causing everyone to be a little edgy.”

“Freaky fish senses.”

“Don’t you have chores, captain?”

“Yeah yeah, I’m going. Kiss?” Bill leaned down with a coy smile.

Dipper spitefully kissed Bill’s nose before pushing against his chest. “I’ll be checking the list to make sure everything’s in order, only then will you get your kiss. Don’t forget to look over the supply logs again,” Dipper straightened out Bill’s shirt before resting his hands on the captain’s chest.

Bill rested his hands over Dipper’s, “Okay love, I’ll be sure to check them over. Just take care of yourself now, alright?”

“Of course I will, as long as you do the same.”

As Bill leaned over to give Dipper a kiss, they were interrupted by a happy sigh. Their heads whipped around to find Soos with a ridiculously happy look on his face, the fish man’s eyes alight with mirth as he watched their exchange. Dipper could feel his face heat up, he had forgotten that Soos was there and had seen that entire interaction. Bill didn’t seem to be faring any better, his cheeks and ears red.

Soos waved a hand at them, “Don’t mind me, I’m just enjoying yous twos being so close. I hope I’ll be able to find someone someday who looks at me the way you look at each other.”

Dipper smiled at the man, his heart doing little flips, “I hope you do too.”

“Well, I better get going now,” Bill quickly leaned in and stole a kiss, chuckling when Dipper shot him a pout. “Love you,” he said as he slipped out the door.

Dipper huffed and shook his head, his cheeks still very much red. He turned to give Soos a sheepish smile, but his friend simply grinned at him before turning around to head over to the laundry basin. Without further prompting, Dipper joined him, pulling back his sleeves and grabbing a clothespin to keep them in place before reaching over to start washing the garments. The two worked in comfortable silence, scrubbing the clothes clean before wringing them out and placing them in another basket to be carried back up deck to dry in the sun.

It took a little over an hour for them to finish washing and hanging the clothes, Dipper’s lower back and hips protesting at the position he’d held while he worked. He could tell Soos had noticed his limp, but he had been gracious enough not to mention it. There was still a little under an hour before combat training so Soos ushered him to his room to get a little rest. Dipper gladly fell into his bed, pulling the comforter around himself and snuggled into the plush pillows. He pressed his nose into one, Bill’s pleasant scent still lingering on it. Although he wasn’t tired, it was nice to let his body relax.

Time became meaningless as he rested, not really sleeping but not fully awake either. He heard the door open and Bill’s familiar footsteps made their way over to where he lay, a moment later the captain’s hand carded through his hair. Scrunching his nose, Dipper gently smacked the hand away.

“After combat practice we both need to wash,” he sat up and gave Bill a small smile, “then you can coddle and snuggle me.”

“I can coddle and snuggle you now, a little dried sea salt and grime don’t hurt anything,” Bill reasoned and sat down next to Dipper.

“No, but I feel gross and gritty. That is not exactly an ideal state for cuddling anyone,” Dipper pouted.

“Fine, fine,” Bill raised his hands in mock surrender. “But I claim the right to coddle you endlessly afterwards, I have been deprived of such tender affection for the last several years.”

“What about your brother?”

“What about him?”

“Didn’t you spend some time just in each other’s company? Mabel and I would groom each other for an hour or two every week, it kept both her and myself from getting agitated or jittery.”

Bill seemed to mull over what Dipper was saying, his lips pursed before he responded, “I envy your culture, Pine Tree. I suppose humans think it’s weird to cuddle family members, or at least my brother and I never sought one another out for that kind of affection. Although our case isn’t necessarily normal for humans.”

Reaching out, Dipper pulled Bill closer and wrapped his arms around him. “You humans and your depressing lack of familial value, how have you survived all this time?”

Bill’s chuckle fell flat, his arms winding tightly around Dipper as he rested his head on the siren’s own. “I’d like to think it’s because of humanity’s overwhelming ignorance.”

Dipper merely hummed and nuzzled Bill’s face, ignoring the gritty texture of left over salt on their skin. Bill took to pressing little kisses along his jaw and neck, both of them content to lay there for a little while longer. It was maybe an hour before Bill finally slid away, pulling Dipper upright with the promise of a warm bath. The siren followed along gratefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well well well, an update, that is pure fluff, JUST FOR YOU.  
> I'd like to apologize for not doing the kind thing and posting either a Holiday or New years update. _Hopefully_ I'll be able to maintain an update schedule for more than just two weeks, but we'll see ;)
> 
> Love my beta, they keep this fic alive==> TinyGhost  
> Come to the blog to ask a question! (you can even ask me for a scene you want drawn!!?)==> BLOG
> 
> If you truly love this fic, leave a comment! I'm always open for constructive criticism and enjoyment. ~~Also, I live for validation.~~


	23. Let Me Ease Your Fears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill longed for the rowdiness of his crew, the daily bets, the squabbling and whining. Hell, he’d prefer having an argument with Gideon over sitting around and twiddling his thumbs. However, his restlessness wasn’t even the worst part of their trip so far: Dipper wasn’t sleeping.

The next six days felt like six weeks. While the wind was sending them in their desired direction, it wasn’t as strong as Bill had hoped. Meanwhile, everything was in order and going ridiculously smoothly, and it was beginning to make Bill anxious. The crew didn’t quarrel and were quiet, only really making noise during training and dinner, and even then they were eerily silent. Bill longed for the rowdiness of his crew, the daily bets, the squabbling and whining. Hell, he’d prefer having an argument with Gideon over sitting around and twiddling his thumbs. However, his restlessness wasn’t even the worst part of their trip so far: Dipper wasn’t sleeping.

Bill could claim that the journey was making him antsy, but the real reason his stomach twisted itself into a knotted mess was because he was worried about his siren. Dipper would lay with him at night, running his fingers through Bill’s hair as he told him the old tales his great uncles once told him, upon Bill’s request. While Bill slept peacefully, Dipper did not sleep at all. He knew Dipper wasn’t sleeping because he would already be up by the time Bill woke, dark bags weighing his eyes down and his movements a little sluggish. Just this morning Bill had asked Dipper if he was sleeping well, and all he received was a tight smile and the assurance that he was fine.

_ You obviously know something is wrong and it’s bothering you. All you have to do is sit him down and tell him that you know something is wrong, and then ask if you can help, it is really a simple fix!  _ Bill groaned and laid his head down on his desk, the papers he was supposed to be looking over momentarily forgotten. He had hoped to be able to do something productive, but if the voice was telling him to go do something the chances of him getting work done dropped drastically.

“It is really not so simple,” He huffed out in a low voice, sitting up to rub tiredly at his face.

Something akin to an annoyed huff sounded in his head, though it felt like it was by his left ear, causing him to flinch from that direction.  _ Not so simple _ , the voice seemed to mock him.  _ Not so simple my non-existent ass. Honestly William, half your problems and worries would not exist if you just talked it out with the people said problems revolve around! _ As opposed to the irritated tone Bill had become accustomed to, the voice sounded tired, more or less. Great, now he was worrying about the disembodied voice inside his head. Bill figured he should probably look into his state of sanity, but at the moment he really couldn’t be bothered.

_ You are a master at avoiding current issues, did you know? _

“Is there someone else you can bother?”

_ Theoretically, but then where would you be? _

“A great deal more sane, probably.”

_ Unlikely, as I recall I have cautioned against many things that turned sour not too long after, and I point out the things you miss, and do my best to steer you away from that which might bring you harm. You can blame me for your lack of sanity all you like, but the moment you stepped on to this ship nine years ago you and your brother signed away your sanity.  _ Bill opened his mouth to retort, but the voice cut him off.  _ Regardless of the normalcy in your brother’s life, he is still not sane, not truly. In fact, if you were to visit the port town he currently resides in you would see just what I mean. _

Bill considered the voice’s words for a moment before coming to a realization. “Wait, how do you know that? You’ve been here with me all this time, haven’t you?”

_ Pfft, please, I would go insane if I stayed with you all the time. As it so happens, I like to keep Tad company. He goes absolutely nuts whenever I pop in for a chat. Not to mention he would be really happy if you dropped in for a visit, and I don’t think Tad would mind you bringing your boyfriend with you either. _

Ducking his head, a red tint settled in Bill’s cheeks. “That is if Pine Tree still considers me to be someone worth caring for.”

_ Hoh boy, I was wondering when that self deprecating conclusion would hit you. Honestly I was beginning to think you weren’t going to hit it, though I suppose that it would be too much to hope for.  _ The voice sighed, making Bill flinch a little at the force behind its exasperation.  _ It. Is. Not. You. Until you ask Dipper why he isn’t sleeping you’re only going to run yourself into the ground with all the potential reasons. Save yourself the trouble and just ask! Communication is the key to a healthy relationship. _

“I doubt you’ve ever actually been in a relationship,” Bill mumbled half-heartedly.

_ No, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been witness to a variety of different relationships. Believe it or not, I have seen what can make or break a relationship, and communication is usually the route of it all. That and love, but you are an emotionally stunted man who still refuses to admit that love exists and that you can feel it.  _ It seemed to pause for a breath, though why the voice would need to breathe was beyond Bill. Sighing once more, the voice fell into a softer tone.  _ Look William, I only want you to be happy and safe. I can’t force you to do anything you are not willing to do, I can only offer advice and give you nasty headaches.  _ Bill snorted, but the voice continued.  _ Please talk to him, it’s been too long since Dipper has had decent sleep, and I don’t think it has anything to do with you. However, you won’t truly know anything until you ask. _

Bill let out a long sigh. Although it pained him to admit it, the voice had made some good points, score one for them. Gathering the papers on his desk together, he placed them in a neat stack on the upper left hand corner to be dealt with later. He was going to find his first mate and have a talk with him. The body could only function for so long without proper sleep, and Dipper had long since surpassed that point. Standing, Bill stretched and felt the satisfying pops in his back. Dipper would probably be below deck with Soos carrying out some chore he’d bummed off the man.

As Bill made his way below deck he tried to think of the safest way to approach the topic. Dipper would not be in his right mind, probably making the man a great deal more irritable and nervous. Bill would have to be gentle with him, he would have to use small words and simple phrases. It would also be smart to try and make sleep enticing. Bill elected to ignore the unpleasant coiling of nerves in his stomach at the prospect of talking with Dipper about his lack of sleep. Just this morning Dipper had been absentmindedly chewing on his shirt, come to think of it, that was probably what ended up drawing Bill to actually consider that Dipper’s sleeping regime was becoming detrimental to his health. It was either an outcome of the lack of sleep or Dipper needed the stimulation, but this was the first time Bill had seen him do it.

Bill’s thoughts were still jumbled by the time he found Dipper. The man was bent over the washing basin, his hands resting in the water but not moving to clean the clothes. Upon closer inspection, the siren’s eyes were half lidded and his jaw slack as he stared unseeingly into the water. It seemed as though Dipper hadn’t yet realized Bill was there, so the captain knelt within the siren’s line of vision and called out to him softly.

“Pine Tree, you okay?”

Dipper startled, his eyes going wide a moment before he took in his surroundings. “Oh! Bill, I didn’t see you come down here, did you need something?”

Dipper quickly made himself busy, grabbing a random shirt and started rubbing the dirt and grime out of it. Reaching over, Bill took the shirt out of Dipper’s hands and scooted over so he was right next to him. He rubbed his thumbs into Dipper’s palms and dried the siren’s hands off on a clean towel.

“You didn’t answer me, Angel Fish, I asked if you were okay.”

Dipper bit his lips and his eyes flitted to the side before meeting Bill’s gaze. “Yes, of course I’m fine, never been better fine, I am completely okay.”

Pursing his lips, Bill shook his head once. “No, you’re sleep deprived and your body is protesting.”

Bill stood and gently brought Dipper up with him, the siren letting out a pitiful whine in protest. Shirking off his coat, Bill drew the coveted garment around Dipper’s shoulders. With a hand at the siren’s back, Bill began leading him toward the stairs to the top deck. It must have taken a while for Dipper to realize what was happening, because they were nearly halfway up the stairs when he began to resist.

“No, no, I’m fine, perfectly fine, Bill, I don’t need to sleep,” panic was laced in Dipper’s tone as he attempted to go back downstairs, but Bill tightened his grip.

Wrapping his other arm around Dipper, Bill clicked his tongue. “Come now Angel Fish, I know your tells, and I can see that you haven’t been sleeping.” His stomach began to knot again, and for a moment he couldn’t get what he was going to ask out of his throat. “Do you no longer want to sleep in our quarters with me?”

Dipper immediately went slack in Bill’s hold, the man whipping around with wide and worried eyes. “No!” His voice with deceivingly firm and awake. “No, of course not, I want to be near you all the time. Being away from you makes me-” Dipper choked on his words and pressed closer to Bill, his eyes becoming misty as he sniffled. “I love you, I’d never want to be away from you. You’re not the reason I don’t want to sleep,” Dipper’s voice became quiet, and he reached up to cup Bill’s face.

“What do you mean you ‘don’t want to sleep’? Dipper, why are you avoiding sleep?” Bill reached up to place his hands over Dipper’s.

The siren sniffled as a few tears fell from his eyes. “B-because I don’t want to dream,” Dipper’s voice warbled.

“Oh Pine Tree,” Bill crooned softly, pulling Dipper’s hands away from his face to give them a squeeze. “Why don’t you want to dream, love?”

Dipper’s fingers twitched and his head fell in shame. “I don’t want to worry you, it’s really nothing to fret over.”

Letting go of one of Dipper’s hands, Bill reached over to cup the young man’s cheek. “Dipper, I’m always worried about you, we’re pirates on a mission for revenge, not to mention you’re a mythical being and I have some raging monster in me that can resurface if I don’t keep my emotions in check. Whatever it is keeping you from sleeping has me worried, and I want to know what it is so I can help you, please.” He rubbed Dipper’s cheek with his thumb and let his voice drop to a near whisper, “Please let me help you.”

They stood there for a long while. Bill pulled Dipper into a hug and let the man sniffle and shake there until he was willing to talk. Eventually they sat on the steps, Bill rubbing Dipper’s back in an attempt to sooth the siren. By the time Dipper was no longer shaking or sniffling, he was draped over Bill’s lap, his arms hooked around the older man’s neck. The position wasn’t exactly ideal, the steps were digging into Bill’s back and he was certain they didn’t feel too good pressing into Dipper’s legs either. With a final sniffle, Dipper extracted himself from Bill’s lap to sit beside him instead, readjusting the coat and pulling it tighter around his slight frame.

“I’ve been having night terrors since the,” Dipper choked up a little before clearing his throat and finishing his sentence, “since I jumped off the ship.”

Bill reached over to take Dipper’s hand, giving it a comforting squeeze to urge the man to continue.

“Every time I do fall asleep I’m back in the water, but you’re not there and the ship is nowhere in sight. I try to stay afloat, but the waves just keep crashing over me, down on me, dragging me below the surface. These aren’t my mother waters, and I feel so rejected and helpless. I grow tired so quickly and I can’t breathe,” Dipper began to hyperventilate, his chest heaving with every breath. “I try to call out, but I can’t see anyone, everything is just this vast expanse of endless dark blue and it’s so  _ cold _ . The worst part is that it feels so real, and it’s so hard for me to wake up, and I keep thinking that I’m dying. What kind of siren is afraid of water!?”

Bill quickly took Dipper by his hands, dragging him up and taking them above deck. Dipper clutched Bill’s coat around his shoulders, the garment flapping behind him as they ran up the steps. The cold air hit them as Bill threw open the door, dragging Dipper towards the middle of the deck and sitting him down there.

“Breathe, love, there’s air all around you, no walls or water closing in on you, it’s open here, so just breathe in,” Dipper took a breath as Bill spoke, “and out.” They both exhaled together.

Bill hesitated to touch Dipper, worried that he might make matters worse. His hands hovered around Dipper’s shoulders as he knelt in front of the younger man, staying within Dipper’s line of sight. They breathed in sync with each other, maintaining a steady rhythm of inhaling and exhaling. Eventually the haze of fear left Dipper’s eyes and he slumped forward into Bill’s arms. The captain readjusted his coat around the man’s shoulders and rubbed his back. A few crew members hovered close by, their faces a mix of worry and curiosity. Bill motioned for them to go about their own business and they all dispersed, a few turning back momentarily, as if they wanted to help.

“I’m sorry,” Dipper’s voice startled Bill.

“Sorry for what? There’s nothing to be sorry for.”

“But I’m causing so much trouble, I’ve been nothing but a burden this entire time,” Dipper sniffled again.

“Hush, Pine Tree, you’re anything but a burden. You’re smart and sassy, you’re attentive, you’re incredibly selfless but also know when your feelings matter, and Angel Fish they do matter. You’re no blight or burden, you’re my first mate, my companion, my friend. How can you be a hinderance when just you being here makes everything better? I wouldn’t even be alive without you.”

Dipper still looked a great deal dejected, but his eyes shone with hope and wonder, as if he couldn’t believe what Bill was actually saying.

“As for your nightmares,” Bill drew back to the instigator of this entire mess, “I can help you with that.”

As Bill stood he pulled Dipper up with him, wiping the siren’s tears away with a thumb before leading him back to their cabin. Dipper’s stomach knotted as dread filled his chest, but he trusted Bill, so he let his captain take him into their room. He was lead to their bed and sat down at it’s edge and Bill knelt in front of him to remove the boots he’s been wearing. Once the boots were removed, Bill took off his own boots and crawled into the bed with Dipper, pulling the younger man into the center of the bed.

“Close your eyes, Pine Tree, think of something familiar, something you associate as homely, an object or a place,” Bill spoke softly, his tone gentle and soothing. “Don’t think about anything but that one thing, focus on it, why it is homely to you.”

Dipper did as he was told: closing his eyes, he tried to picture the Mystery Wreck. He tried to picture all the etchings he had carved into the ship to keep it stable for Grunkle Stan. Memories of the time he and Mabel fought over the spare bedroom came to mind. He could feel his body relaxing as he thought about his home back in Gravity Falls, but froze up when he felt Bill’s thumbs brush over his closed eyes. Bill shushed him, the man’s hands falling to the base of Dipper’s neck and just behind his ears. Dipper thought of Bill, the man’s piercing gaze and almost too wide smile, his forever warm hands and gentle touches.

Bill’s voice was right next to Dipper’s ear as he spoke, “Open your eyes, Pine Tree.”

When Dipper opened his eyes, he was startled to see some weird mix of both the Mystery Wreck and  _ Mens Scapus _ . He was underwater and could breathe easily, but he wasn’t a siren. Everything was casted in shades of grey and made the ship’s visage a little disorienting. Kicking his legs he attempted to reach the entrance of the Mystery Scape, Mind Wreck? He was beginning to better understand the difficulty humans had in the water and it wasn’t helping his current opinion on the ocean.

“Need some help?” Bill was suddenly next to him.

Dipper would deny any and all accusations of the sound he made before realizing it was just his captain floating next to him.

“I have to say, I’m flattered by what you consider to be home. It’s only been a few months since we made off on our journey together, normally it takes years for the mind to recreate its familiar state. Then again, I’ve only ever seen human minds.”

“Where are we?” Dipper finally asked as they reached the entrance of the ship.

“We’re inside your mind.”

“My mind!?” Dipper sputtered, his head whipped around to stare wide-eyed at Bill. “How are we in my mind?”

“I brought us here. I find that whenever the mind is in a state of unease or restlessness, the easiest option is to go into it and find the main source of the problem. I can find whatever is causing your night terrors and either eradicate it or set up walls to keep it contained. It may not take away your fear, but it won’t affect you as greatly as it has been.” Bill opened the door leading down to the inside of the ship.

“How do you know it will work?” Dipper asked as he followed Bill into the ship.

Bill hesitated before responding, “I’ve done it on myself before.”

“Can I ask what for?” They made their way down the steps, the deck below them casting a dull purple glow.

“My fear of drowning, guess we both have had bad experiences with the ocean.” Bill turned to give Dipper a small smile as they reached the deck.

Dipper stood gaping at all the doors that lined the sides of the ship, it hardly even looked like the lower deck. There were hallways as well, each lined with its own set of doors. Plaques hung above the doors and painted words depicted what they were. He watched as strange schools of fish flitted past them, the creatures had odd faces and made weird noises as the continued on their way.

“Loving the organization in here, though I can see where the anxiety comes from,” Bill gestured to the dark spaces between the wood paneling and some rot that had begun to fester in a few places.

“So, what are we looking for?” Dipper purposefully turned to face Bill to ignore the disconcerting gaps and rot.

“Well, your fear stems from an experience, so we need to find the memory of you falling into the water.” Bill took hold of Dipper’s hand and turned and headed for the hallway labeled ‘memories’.

They walked in silence for a while, avoiding the strange anomalies littered about within the halls. Dipper occasionally read the labels on the doors. There were subcategories based on importance, like ‘happy memories’ or ‘information on Stan’. It was intriguing to see the organization pattern, and if they weren’t looking for specifics Dipper would have liked to explore more of his mind. Finally they reached a hallway labeled ‘negative experiences’. Bill turned to Dipper, silently asking for the siren’s permission to access the hallway.

With a deep breath, Dipper took the lead down the hallway. Here, instead of the dark gaps and rot, there were cracks accented by eerie white light. A persistent deep tone permeated the otherwise empty hall. Each door was unique, a few even having several locks to keep them shut. Several doors even had their captions scratched out while other doors were painted over with warnings. Dipper elected to ignore the doors, he already had a feeling he knew the name of the one he was looking for. It took them a little while, but eventually Dipper found the hidden hallway with a sign stating ‘FEARS’ in bold bright red.

Giving Bill’s hand a squeeze he lead them down the hallway. The cracks were bigger here, and something was swirling around within the white light, every once in a while a black eye stared at them from a crack. When they finally stopped they were in front of a rusted metal door. The door was slightly open and the sounds of a storm emanated from within. Lifting a hand to push it open, Dipper paused and instead took a decisive step back.

“I don’t want to go in there,” Dipper spoke, his voice just barely above a whisper.

“You don’t have to, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

“Then why come here?”

“Because you need to see what kind of walls I put up, so your mind doesn’t try to take them down and subject you to it all again. The barricade has to be tailored specifically to your mind, if not, it could have adverse effects.”

“What about your whole spiel on ‘facing my fears’?”

“The best way to overcome your fear is to face it head on, defeat it in the sense of reliving it but making it better… but I don’t think you’re quite ready for that. If your fear of the sea is causing you to have such horrible nightmares every time you sleep, then I think it would be far wiser to take it this route.”

“You mean tone down the fear until it’s no longer overbearing?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

“Are you sure? It might not be too comfortable.”

“I trust you.”

“Okay.”

“What do I have to do?”

“You need to shut and lock the door, you’ve done it with other memories, though they were probably done over time.”

“How can I shut and lock it when there’s no handle? The door opens into the room, there’s nothing I can grab to shut it completely,” Dipper’s voice took on a hint of panic. What if there was no way for him to lock the door, what if he couldn’t even close it?

“Breathe, Pine Tree. This is the mind, you can do anything you can think of here, even closing and locking a door like this one.”

“Can you help me do it?” Dipper nearly pleaded, his hand twitching in Bill’s grip.

“Of course, we’ll do it together.” Bill let go of Dipper’s hand so he could cup the siren’s face. “Just think of the door closing and shutting completely, you can close your eyes if that helps.”

Dipper shut his eyes and imagined the rusty door shutting. The sound of a door closing resounded in Dipper’s ears and he whipped his head around to find the door was now shut, the sounds of the storm no longer reaching their ears. He then thought of a big padlock, like one of the enchanted locks Ford used to keep dangerous materials unaccessible to anyone but himself. Dipper watched in awe as the lock appeared, a faint purple hue emanating from the keyhole. Other smaller locks appeared, the sounds of them locking easing the fear Dipper had felt when he first saw the door.

“Are you feeling any better?” Bill’s voice startled Dipper from his thoughts.

The siren turn to face Bill with a grateful smile. “Yes, I am.” He pulled Bill down into a hug, the weight of his fatigue beginning to blur his vision. “Thank you, Bill, I love you.”

Bill’s hands twitched at Dipper’s back before he tightened his embrace. “Let me send you some dreams, happy ones, I promise you’ll like them.”

Dipper merely hummed and the hallway faded from around him. He could tell he was dreaming, the sand beneath his fingers not quite real, too soft and fine to be any kind of sand he had ever felt. Wind blew at his clothes and the sky was a deep gray, promising rain. The sound of wind chimes lulled his mind and for a moment Dipper wondered what chimes were, but it was not important. Time doesn’t matter when you dream, nor to facts or objects, the only thing that matters is the calm feeling offered by the world your mind provides.

The sound of footsteps had Dipper turning his head to the side to see a tall woman with long blond hair and a gentle smile. He didn’t know who she was, but she felt familiar and her presence was welcomed. She knelt by Dipper and drew him into her arms, speaking in a language he didn’t understand. He shuffled his feet further into the dry sand, content to listen to the woman speak. Every so often the scene would change, but the woman remained.

The faint sound of someone singing caught Dipper’s attention, and he looked up at the woman to see if it was her. She smiled at him, but she was not the one singing. Dipper sat up in her lap, her arms falling away from him so he didn’t have to struggle. They were sitting beneath some sort of artificial overhang, a tarp, his mind supplied. Small drops of rain pattered against it, creating a soothing ambiance. The singing steadily grew closer and Dipper’s head swiveled in an attempt to find the source.

_ Wakey, wakey, starlight, it is time for all good little fish to greet the day. _

Dipper’s eyes flew open. The singing came from directly above him, the sounds vibrating in the chest his head rested on. Sluggishly he lifted his head to look at Bill, the captain continuing to sing in the same strange language Dipper had heard the woman speak. He couldn’t help but notice that Bill shared a lot of similarities with the woman. The same hair color, the quirk of their lips, their nose, and most of all their eyes. They were the same beautiful piercing blue. If Dipper had to guess, he’d say that the woman was Bill’s mother, his biological mother.

“You miss her,” Dipper whispered, not quite fully awake yet.

“Every day,” was all Bill said in reply.

Dipper hummed and let his head fall back onto Bill’s chest. “You’re a lot like her.”

“Better to be like my mother than my father.”

“I wish I could have gotten to know them.” Dipper wrapped his arms around Bill.

“Me too,” Bill hugged him back.

They settled in each other’s arms, the grogginess slowly leaving Dipper. He felt so much better now that he had gotten some sleep, and the awful headaches and bodily pains from the past few days were finally gone. Tracing mindless patterns on Bill’s back, Dipper silently thanked the man for his concern and help. Bill was truly something else, and Dipper counted himself as lucky to have met the man, even more so to be together with him. Nuzzling into Bill’s neck, Dipper peppered the man’s lower jaw with little kisses. Dipper’s stomach did flips when Bill chuckled and kissed the top of his head. The fluttery feeling turned sour, however, when his stomach began to clench.

Unease settled in Dipper’s stomach and he gave Bill a squeeze, clenching his fists at the man’s back and nosing into the crook of the captain’s neck. Sweat gathered at his temples, and Dipper felt hot and cold all at once. He felt wrong, his fingers and toes felt numb, his mind going fuzzy for a moment. He needed to throw up, but if he moved Dipper felt like he might not make it. Fingers dug almost painfully into his back and he quickly moved his arms between them to push Bill away. Wide blue eyes met his own, confusion and worry reflected back at him. Was Bill feeling the same? He looked fine, even if his face was contorted into a worried expression.

“Something’s wrong,” Bill breathed as he took in Dipper’s pale face, sweat making his face shine in the light.

Dipper could feel it, the static in the air, not dissimilar to that of the night when the magic backlash occurred. Something or someone was expelling a huge amount of uncontrolled magic and it was affecting the water currents. They flew apart from each other, scrambling to get off the bed and out of the cabin, Dipper and Bill stumbled but made it out onto the deck. Dipper choked down the bile that threatened to rise from his stomach, his head swiveled to see if anyone else was affected by the sudden surge of negative energy. Despite this not being his mother waters, Dipper could feel the awful churning of the currents, the sickly feel of the waves. It was as if the waters were sick, making them uneasy and restless.

_ Mens Scapus _ rocked heavily, several of the crew members calling out in shock and fear as they hurried to secure the ship. The skies were clear, however, and there was no indication of a storm, not to mention the wind wasn’t particularly strong. Definitely not strong enough to produce the waves that were rocking the ship.

Running over to the main mast, Dipper grabbed onto the rigging and began to climb, silently regretting not tugging on his boots. His view of the ocean became clearer as he climbed, his heart pounded heavily in his chest, and his limbs ached and shook. Something was causing the ocean unease, something big and sinister. Dipper was only halfway to the crow's nest when he saw it churning beneath the surface, its ugly maw opening as it headed right for them. A blood curdling shriek tore itself from its gaping jaws as it broke the surface, Dipper almost lost his grip on the rigging in an attempt to cover his ears to save himself from the mind numbing cry.

Head pounding and vision blurring, Dipper could feel his hold slacken as the crew screamed in fear, scrambling to escape the sound. Somehow he found it within himself to scale down the rigging, and his feet landed sloppily on the deck. Amidst the screams and fear he looked for Bill. He heard him before he saw him, the captain doing his best to get the crew under control and to their battle stations. Cannons and gunfire would do nothing against this monster, however, and Dipper could already see several of its limbs slowly wrapping around the ship.

Frozen in shock and numbed by the overwhelming and unbound magic, it took Dipper a few moments to realize he was being shaken by someone. He half expected the person to be Bill, but his eyes met those of one of the crew members. They shook him once more and gestured towards to bow of the ship where Bill stood, the captain seemingly the only one not affected by the scream. Understanding the crew member’s intentions, Dipper staggered over to the captain, calling out his name. He should not have slept as long as he had. He needed to clear his mind. Bill was clear headed, he needed to get to Bill, he needed to save the ship and crew, he needed to stop the Kraken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS IS ENDING ON A CLIFFHANGER!!??!?!!
> 
> It's ending on a cliff hanger.
> 
>  
> 
> Beta♥==>TinyGhost  
> Blog


	24. Till Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Y-you idiot!” Dipper sobbed, “what the hell possessed you to try to take on the Kraken by yourself!? I could have lost you!” Dipper raged, his voice breaking towards the end, falling into softer tones. “What would I do without you?”
> 
> The long awaited update.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the tag updates over the course of the next few chapters, this reminder will be present whenever there is another tag update.

The frantic thrum of Bill’s heart resounded in his ears as he watched the crew practically fall apart. He might have succumbed to the mind-numbing screech as well if he wasn’t in shock at the sight of the giant magical monster. He was trying to usher the crew to their stations, calling out orders to get them ready for battle, but something told him normal cannons weren’t going to cut it in this fight. The ship rocked and groaned as the monster began constricting it within its watery appendages. Was the ocean actively trying to destroy his ship? The thought made Bill’s blood boil, his ship was his home, and it had become Dipper’s home as well. He wasn’t about to let some ugly abomination take that now, especially not after all he’d been through.

He could feel it rising like bile up his throat, the beast. His anger only fueled its will, calling it out from wherever it had been resting for the last month or so. The hot and heavy anger that accompanied the beast was already clearing Bill’s vision when he felt Dipper’s hand grab hold of his arm. At this point, however, the beast wouldn’t back down. His ship was in peril, his crew was in danger, and most of all Dipper could get hurt. There was no way he was going to let any of that stand, not now, not ever.

Dipper clung on to Bill and the captain could practically smell the siren’s desperation and fear. With all the care of a frenzied man, he pulled Dipper into a brief embrace, mumbling something nonsensical into the man’s soft brown curls. Even as the beast’s anger and trepidation settled into his mind, Bill felt the need to protect Dipper, the siren was the only thing important to him right now. The beast functioned on primal instincts and the main senses, it amplified Bill’s needs and worked to carry out what Bill deemed to be most important. He half dragged Dipper to their cabin, urging the man to stay inside with pleading looks and whines as he closed the door. Fear hit him in full force as his mind finally registered the lost and fearful look on Dipper’s face, but now was not the time to dwell on it. He needed to save his ship, and the monster needed to go.

_Mens Scapus_ creaked under the pressure of the monster, its limbs winding their way around her body. It was dragging the ship in all directions, the force of movement causing Bill to be unsteady on his feet. At this rate, they were losing all the ground they had covered, and they were losing it fast. The crew seemed to be too affected by the beast’s screams to properly load and maintain heavy artillery, which meant the cannons were useless. Bill himself didn’t think he would be able to give orders, not if his beast was taking over. He didn’t have his sword or a gun, but Bill didn’t need it. The monster would fall, and he would make sure of that, even if he had to use his own two hands to accomplish the task.

He needed to get a better look at this monster, see if he could spot any weaknesses it might have. Casting his gaze about, Bill zeroed in on the main mast. If he can climb high enough on the rigging he might be able to see more of this creature. Making for the rigging, Bill avoided falling ropes and cargo, hissing as he heard the sickening sound of cracking wood. His ship was in peril and if he didn’t act fast all would be lost. There was still so much left he still needed to do, and Bill would not let some moody wave prevent him from accomplishing what he had set out to do.

He needed to save his crew from Gideon, the weasel had to pay for what he had done to Bill. Tad was waiting for news from him, his brother would undoubtedly come looking for him if he went for too long without word from Bill. The voice inside his head needed to be properly addressed, sooner rather than later. This beast that resided within him, Bill needed to search for answers or find a way to rid himself of the curse. Most of all, he had a promise to keep to Dipper, and Bill has never broken a promise.

Somehow, the siren had found his way into Bill’s hazed state of mind and now he couldn’t think of anything else. What would become of his precious friend if he couldn’t beat this monster? Bill’s chest ached at the thought of never being able to see Dipper again, never being able to speak to him, fight with him over the silly and mundane, never again to be able to hold him close just to be sure they were still alive, to never be able to confess to what the siren had shown him.

Bill practically roared as he took hold of the rigging, scaling the ropes high enough to look down into the water and see the gnashing maw of the monster. His heart beat in his ears as he looked down on it, his mind going blessedly clear for a few moments to take in the impossible monster that thrashed beneath the water. It was the water. A solid force hit Bill from the side, knocking him loose from the rigging and sending him toward the deck of his ship.

As his body hit the floor with a sickening crack, he was reminded of an old story his mother once told him. It had been about a monster of the sea that was only called upon by those with overflowing anger or grief, either to carry out their enemy’s demise or their own. In the story, a man invoked a powerful spell to call forth the very ocean, sharing his grief with her in an effort to relieve himself of the pain he was feeling. In sympathy, the ocean had let the man’s negative energy and magic imbue her with the power to obtain a nearly solid form of magic and water. It had crushed countless towns along the sea and inland before returning to the man and taking his life as well. Bill’s mother called it the Kraken.

He thoroughly believed that this creature was that very monster, called forth by someone who was haunted by either grief or anger. Bill had a feeling it was the latter, and the person who wielded this anger was undoubtedly Gideon himself. It was clear to Bill now, and the world seemed to move slowly around him. Surely Gideon wasn’t so foolish to exude so much energy and power to unleash such a creature. Yet, Bill could see it, the Kraken pulsed with Gideon’s signature, the pale turquoise magic giving the monster an eerie glow.

No doubt the conniving weasel had gotten word of his failed assassination attempts, leaving him with not only sour news, but the news of Bill’s return. The Kraken was here for him, and it was very clear what Gideon intended to happen. In a moment, Bill was back on his feet, mind racing as he thought of any kind of spell strong enough to even stun a creature of the Kraken’s magnitude. Nothing was coming to mind and his beast refused to stay stationary, having Bill weave through the falling debris and to the edge of the railing. He stopped just short of jumping over, looking down and seeing the wide pupiless eyes of the monster.

With a low hiss of anger, Bill swerved and raced over to where one of the monster’s limbs was wrapped around a mast. Raising his arm high he swung down as hard as he could, and his hand tore easily through the flesh, nearly severing the limb entirely. His beast wriggled in glee as the monster let out a high pitched and pained shriek, all limbs retracting from his ship into the water. The victory was short lived as the limbs once again resurfaced to smack at his ship, destroying one of the front masts entirely.

Bill growled as the splintered wood cascaded across the ship, a few of the jagged pieces piercing his skin. The tiny pin pricks only served to rile up the beast, the barest wisps of pure magic becoming visible as Bill became consumed by the beast. Bill sprinted across the ship, crouching low to avoid being hit by any big debris. A few of the crew members who were not entirely incapacitated quickly moved out of his way, pulling others along to seek cover. He jumped at another watery appendage, and with a clawed hand came down on it. The limb exploded on impact and Bill could see the thick tendrils of magic that rolled off him. He wondered briefly if Dipper would be able to see the magic as well. A shadow fell over Bill, and as he lifted his head he was engulfed in water.

 

Slumped against the door to his and Bill’s quarters, Dipper clutched his head in his hands. The contorted magic of the Kraken sickened him, his very core aching as the monster continued to search and destroy. Contorted magic numbed his senses, his head feeling light and compressed all at once, and the only thing that kept him upright was knowing that Bill was still out there. It could have been hours as Dipper sat on the floor, arms feeling more and more like dead weights as he tried to reach for the handle to open the door.

Screams of the fish crew echoed in Dipper’s ears and his stomach churned at the thought of them being utterly decimated just outside the door. There was no doubt that they were affected by the Kraken just as much as he was, perhaps even more so. He could hear fighting beyond the door, and if that wasn’t a sign of Bill’s beast coming out to bat at the Kraken, then the wisps of the familiar golden tendrils surely made it known. Fear twisted violently in Dipper’s gut, nothing can defeat the Kraken, it has always completed its mission, and something told him that its goal was to ensure their demise.

The sound of a body hitting the deck shocked Dipper’s system. The Kraken’s screeching grew in volume and the ship lurched, tipping dangerously to the side. Dipper smacked into one of the golden tendrils and the magic clung to him, his skin tingled as the magic began to envelop him. The feeling of anger shot through him, so violent and foreign it twisted Dipper’s stomach and for a moment he was worried he would be sick. Too focused on trying not to lose the contents of his stomach, it took Dipper a moment to realize his head had stopped pounding and his vision cleared. The golden haze covered him like a second skin, and it was blocking out the Kraken’s numbing magic.

Shakily, Dipper stood and feeling returned to his limbs. He quickly grabbed the door’s handle, flinging it open. He stepped out just in time to see one of the Kraken’s watery limbs come crashing down on top of Bill. A shrill scream pierced the air, sounding distorted and inhuman, and it was a few moments before Dipper figured the scream was his own. He felt more than heard the Kraken’s reply to his shriek, and the limb crushing Bill wavered slightly before it exploded, sending water shooting across the deck.

All of Dipper’s fear and anxiety seemed to fall away as he stalked forward, his screech having lulled into a softer whimper. His gaze zeroed in on Bill’s form, lying motionless on the deck but still exhuming a steady stream of magic. He continued to walk across the deck towards the railing. The Kraken’s own cries had fallen nearly silent as its limbs stilled around the ship. It was waiting to see what Dipper would do. Stopping next to Bill’s still form, Dipper’s heart gave a painful squeeze, and with a glare he turned to face the Kraken.

Cyan glowing orbs stared back at him, the signature tumultuous emotion raged within them and Dipper shivered. The silence was loud in Dipper’s ears as he watched the limbs pull slightly back before bashing back into the ship, splintering the wood even more. The Kraken held on to the masts, lifting itself higher and higher. Without another thought, Dipper took hold of the main masts rigging and climbed. The rope dug into his bare skin, but he could hardly feel the burn, Bill’s magic numbed everything but his mind and sight.

Together, Dipper and the Kraken rose, the water’s screeching no longer affecting Dipper like it had before. The same foreign anger churned Dipper’s stomach, but he let it pull him higher. The Kraken stopped at the main topgallant yard and Dipper crossed it without hesitation, reaching the end to gaze into the watery cyan eyes again. It opened its maw in an earsplitting screech, Dipper only flinched at it now, the intended effects no longer disturbing him. He could feel the ship still moving, in what direction he didn’t know, but the Kraken seemed to want to take its time in decimating _Mens Scapus_.

Dipper stilled at the end of the topgallant, willing the Kraken to meet his gaze. He heard more than saw a watery limb slowly wind its way closer to his position. Steely cyan orbs focused in on Dipper, the ship stopped rocking and the Kraken’s tentacles eased up on the hull and masts, all of the monster’s attention was now on him. Memories of falling into the ocean and the horrible nightmares after that assaulted Dipper’s mind, clearly a new tactic of the ocean. He swayed but stayed put, glaring back at the Kraken.

This power did not belong to whoever called forth the Kraken. Dipper could feel his mind being prodded, as though a channel were opening. Memories flickered in his mind, rewinding the events that led him here. In reverse, Dipper saw his life before his eyes. Bill flickered briefly before images of the Mystery Wreck whizzed by. He saw his family and heard echoes of their voices, he felt their embraces and saw their expressions. The cool hold of his mother waters seemed to surround him, like his mother holding him close to her chest, hands slightly shaking as she whispered silent pleas to the stars that he would live.

Somehow he could sense someone else’s emotions, confusion, worry, conviction, elation. They tasted sweet and bitter on his tongue and he screwed his eyes shut. He could see the surface of the sea, incredibly calm with the lack of wind. His gaze swiveled at some unheard sound and he could see Stan walking toward him. Wait. Walking? The image and emotions faded as the feeling of being swept into his mother’s arms overcame him again. All cognitive thought fled from his mind, he no longer had a reason to think. His mother’s hand brushed his hair back to kiss his forehead, muttering rushed phrases of gratitude and promise.

Opening his eyes, Dipper found himself encased in a bubble of water. Panic spiked in his gut for a moment before he realized he was still breathing. The water holding him continued to cradle his body, lifting him from the topgallant. The gold magic still enveloped him but was no longer writhing with fury.

He felt his mind being prodded once more and let his eyes fall shut. This time he saw no clear images, but the feelings were overwhelming. All range of emotion washed over him, joy, excitement, fear, pain, and anger. There was so much anger. However, the anger made him feel almost detached, as though he was no longer in control and that the anger had formed some half-baked conscious of its own. It seemed to be fueled by an orb of cyan light pulsating in his center. The hotter the anger, the brighter the light and vice versa. It was unsettling and caused Dipper extreme discomfort, as though his mind was being violated and his body forced to move as though it were attached to strings.

Dipper registered that it was not him dealing with all these pulling forces, it was the sea. The channel to his mind clearly went two ways, and the ocean wanted him to know something, and he had a feeling it revolved around that disturbing orb. Horrible anger and fear hit Dipper like a storm propelled wave, disorienting him and causing his vision to blur. He felt violated, he felt used and torn, every part of his being felt wrong and foreign. He felt like a puppet being held over a heat vent for an extended period of time, only to be thrust into it to be burnt alive.

The orb pulsed brightly, as if it was mocking Dipper, taking joy in turning him inside out. He felt like cowering in fear, but if he did then the orb would only grow stronger. It sat hardly two feet away, but it felt as though there were miles between them, out of reach and untouchable. _It’s not, though, it’s right there._ Something in Dipper’s mind snapped and his vision cleared again. If he truly wanted, Dipper could reach out and grab it if he really tried, so he did just that. Stretching his arm out he curled his fingers around the light, just barely able to get a tight enough grip on the orb.

The moment the tips of his fingers had brushed the orb’s pulsating surface his entire arm had gone numb. Dipper had never known something as cold at this, it was like a void of all warmth and it made his unease grow even further. The orb wasn’t quite a solid force and lacked definite shape, but somehow it managed to stay together, as though it refused to fall apart. Dipper was frozen in place as the orb attempted to form around his hand, but one of the golden tendrils still wrapped around Dipper smacked it back and attempted to keep it confined in its former shape. The orbed writhed angrily at having been denied its attempt to spread. With another angry pulse, Dipper’s body went numb with the cold and his vision blurred again.

His insides felt like a frenzied school of fish, and Dipper’s vision doubled as he saw both the orb in front of him as well as within him. He could see himself with his arm outstretched, hand gripping tightly to the cyan light. Groaning with effort, Dipper pulled the wavering orb from its position, meeting heavy resistance. The anger hit him full force, almost blinding him with its intensity as it writhed in his grasp. Dipper continued to tug the orb away, finally managing to sever its connection to the Kraken’s body. His ears popped and he felt more than heard the relieved sigh escaping his, no, the ocean’s lips. The orb dissipated from Dipper’s hand, and with it the anger vanished as well.

His sight snapped back into a singular line, leaving Dipper disoriented. When his surroundings stopped spinning, Dipper looked up, right into the translucent eyes of this sea. He gasped and realized he was still encased in water. With a single worried thought, the water fell away and he was standing on the topgallant again. Watery hands instead of tentacles lifted up to hover around Dipper’s frame. The siren leaned to the side, letting the ocean hold him. She may not be his own mother waters, but she was still the ocean, and she was still painfully like his home.

“Hello, child of stars,” the sea spoke gently, her lips curved into a tender smile. “Thank you for freeing me of that magic, and forgive me for the trouble I have caused you.”

“N-no problem,” Dipper stuttered out.

“In return for all my misdeeds, I will repair your ship.”

As she spoke, she lifted Dipper off the topgallant, placing him back down onto the deck of the ship before delving back into the water. Shortly afterward a wave of translucent dark blue magic wafted over the ship, and Dipper watched in awe as all the damage around him reversed itself. The reformation of the ship was flawless and practically silent, making _Mens Scapus’_ last fix look utterly crude in comparison. It was as though Dipper was dreaming, all sounds were dulled and muffled, as though he was watching from beneath the surface. Deep in his bones, Dipper could feel his own magic in the ship beckoning the sea. He could almost feel the amusement and care the ocean took as she wove her magic with his, strengthening the last spell he had cast on _Mens Scapus._ When the wave finally receded, Dipper gazed in awe at how beautiful the ship looked in the waning light.

Wait, waning light. Shocked, Dipper took note of the sun’s setting position, stars already blinking into view in the sky. They had been batted around for hours, now it was late, and they had no idea where they were. These waters had already repaid their debt owed to them by fixing the ship, which meant they were now on their own in getting back on course. Bill would not be pleased with this setback.

A chill shot down Dipper’s spine. Where was Bill? Dipper swiveled around so fast that he became light-headed and a sharp pain tore through his neck. He made a choked noise as he located Bill’s crumpled body on the deck of the ship, unmoving in the chilled breeze. Before he realized he was even moving, Dipper was by Bill’s side, pulling the older man into his lap. The captain’s eyes were blown wide, his pupils dilated and watering, the sclera a mottled gray while the irises swirled with a dull gold. Dipper couldn’t even see the tendrils of Bill’s magic anymore and fear began to settle heavily in the pit of his stomach.

“Bill?” Dipper’s voice came out broken and wavered with worry. “Bill, can you hear me?” He brushed some of the captain’s hair away from his face, hands shaking as he silently urged Bill to react.

The captain’s face was ashen and his skin felt cold and clammy. Dipper let a hand fall from Bill’s face to grab onto his cold fingers, squeezing them gently. Bill’s chest wasn’t rising or falling, and his upper torso looked grossly mangled. Water dripped onto Bill’s chest, Dipper lifted both of their hands to his cheek to feel the tears escaping his eyes. As soon as he acknowledged them, the tears began to flow freely from Dipper’s eyes, his throat becoming tight as he took in what was happening.

Bill wasn’t moving, and usually when someone stopped moving they were gone. The man he loved wasn’t moving, the man he loved was gone, Bill was gone, he is gone. Dipper shook where he sat, tremors wracking his entire body as he clutched Bill’s unmoving form to his chest. Silent sobs clogged his throat as tears blurred his vision. Dipper bowed his head, mentally pleading to the gods above that Bill was not truly gone, he couldn’t be gone.

Dipper felt the consoling touch of a golden tendril and finally let out a loud sob. What was he to do now that Bill was not here? Everything had changed so drastically during his time with the pirate, there was no way he could just return home like nothing had happened. There were things they had been planning to accomplish. He had promised Bill to help him find the truth to his inner monster, to help him enact his revenge, and to get his crew back. They were going to sail together across the seas, visit the land, and study all manner of species together. He squeezed Bill’s hand, pressing it harder against his cheek and let out another pitiful sob.

Although faint, golden threads of magic lay over Dipper’s shoulders, wrapping loosely around him as well as Bill. A thumb swiped gently along Dipper’s cheek, brushing away the steady stream of tears. The movements finally registered in Dipper’s head and he gasped, blinking away the tears and tightening his grip on Bill. The captain blinked slowly, his sclera still an uncomfortable shade of gray, but his irises were no longer a dull gold. Beautiful blues gazed back at Dipper, the captain’s brows drawn together in an expression of worry.

“Pine Tre-ugh!” Dipper tugged Bill into a tight hug, successfully stopping any attempt the captain might make to talk.

“Y-you idiot!” Dipper sobbed, “what the hell possessed you to try to take on the Kraken by yourself!? I could have lost you!” Dipper raged, his voice breaking towards the end, falling into softer tones. “What would I do without you?”

Bill stared wide-eyed at Dipper, a little confused as to why the siren was so upset. Tears continued to fall from Dipper eyes down onto Bill’s clothes, though it made little difference with how soaked through the captain still was. Dipper’s nose was pressed against Bill’s neck, arms clenched almost uncomfortably around him, like if he didn’t hold him tight enough Bill would disappear. Bill had seen Dipper get swallowed by the Kraken as he lay immobile on the deck of the ship. Whatever the monster had done when it hit him had rendered Bill completely useless, not even the beast’s strength and anger could break through.

“You’d think of something, love,” Bill finally responded, even if he knew Dipper hadn’t expected an answer.

Dipper pulled away from Bill, taking a shaky breath as he searched Bill’s face for anything that could be amiss. A crooked smile split the captain’s face and he lifted a hand to brush Dipper’s hair from his face. Finding nothing but Bill’s genuine gaze meeting his eyes, tears of relief welled up in Dipper’s eyes again, his shoulders drooping as the tension fled his body.

“Hey, hey,” Bill sat up, grunting slightly as pain shot through his ribs, “Don’t cry, did I do something wrong?”

“No, no of course not!” Dipper shot forward to kiss Bill, both hands leaving the captain’s sides to cup his face. “I just love you so much,” Dipper breathed the words as he pulled away from their kiss.

Bill’s heartbeat sped up at the words and no matter how he tried his voice still shook, “I love you too. I was so worried I was going to lose you.”

Dipper sniffled, tears still falling from his eyes. “Gods I’m a sap,” he brushed away tears with both hands, “let’s not die on each other anytime soon.”

Letting his hands fall from Dipper, Bill’s muscles went lax and he lay back on the deck. “I think I can manage that, or I’ll try to anyway.”

Dipper let out a watery chuckle and lay down next to Bill. “You’d better, or I might just have to learn necromancy.”

“Can you learn how to heal broken ribs first? Mine are kind of mangled at the moment,” Bill joked.

“Yeah, yeah I can do that. Foolish captain.”

“Hey, I’m your foolish captain.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to apologize for the extended period of silence. I've had most of the chapter done for almost a month, but I just couldn't seem to finish it. >:\  
> No cliff hanger this time, I promise that from now on I won't leave you with a cliff hanger unless I already have the next chapter finished!
> 
> Next chapter: wow, how's Mabel dealing with all this? FIND OUT IN LIKE A MONTH or less, idk.
> 
> Please love my [beta](http://sirencipher.tumblr.com/), this fic would not be as wonderful without them!  
> Fic [Tumblr](diyd.tumblr.com)  
> My [Tumblr](http://ira-evanee.tumblr.com/), say hi!

**Author's Note:**

> Ele dreamt a dream, and in that dream our Captain died. However, dreams aren't always true, and this time our Siren will know what to do (maybe).


End file.
